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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - November 01, 2023 - November 07, 2023

Eastern Woodland Cultures Honored On The Green

By Lucy Gellman, Editor The Arts Paper newhavenarts.org

The clean, bright crack of stick on drum skin reverberated over the New Haven Green, waking the audience into being.

On a patch of grass, Raymond Two Hawks Watson closed his eyes, sun warming his face as he ushered in a Shinnecock honor song. Overhead, three dozen pigeons took flight, their gray-blue bodies circling the grass. Just feet away, Dr. Tamiko Jackson-McArthur and Jennifer Rawlings let the sound wash over them.

Thursday afternoon, that sound became a heartbeat of “Honoring Eastern Woodland Culture,” a recognition of the Native people who cared for and lived on and with this land long before it was ever known as New England. A collaboration among the International Festival of Arts & Ideas and Jackson-McArthur, it marked the end of this year’s “Rhythm Exchange” series, which has brought artists and creatives to the Green on a near-weekly basis.

For both the festival and Jackson-McArthur, it marked a momentous first: neither New Haven nor the self-perpetuating, majority-white Proprietors of the New Haven Green have ever formally recognized the space as unceded Quinnipiac territory.

“Today, we honor the Quinnipiac people, the long water people,” said JacksonMcArthur, a lifelong New Havener and pediatrician who is Wabbaquasset Nipmuc, and grew up learning about her own Native history before also learning about the city’s. “We celebrate our ancestors and we thank them.”

“It’s very important to me, and to many Native people, that you see what we look like and you hear our names,” she added.

“The Natives don’t look like Tonto or Pocahontas … All too often, folks think that Indians, Natives, will look a certain way. But as you can see, we look all ways.

We all look like the diaspora that you see in all demographics.”

From an initial prayer to a culminating round dance, Thursday’s speakers and participants centered both the importance and the vitality of Native culture, which has survived centuries of settler-colonialism, forced displacement, the brutal separation of families and attempted erasure of language, land and customs. In New Haven, where Quinnipiac and Wappinger history is still rarely taught in schools, that sense of urgency struck a chord.

Spreading out in front of an unused stage, members of the Pomham Singers settled into their seats, faces tilted toward the sun, then toward each other, as they listened to remarks. To their left, No Loose Braids founder Andre Strongbearheart Gaines, Jr. and his nephews, Daishuan Tall Hair Red Deer Garate and Miguel Wandering Turtle Garate, took their seats behind a sign offering more information on Massachusetts Executive Order 126.

Dr. Tamiko Jackson-McArthur, whose Native name is Caring Hands, with Jennifer Rawlings and Rene Shining Star McClain.

In his hands, Gaines gently held a small drum, waiting as he lowered his head, and listened patiently.

Taking the lone mic, Jackson-McArthur noted how arbitrary and divisive both state and federal recognition of Native tribes—classifications that are often made by non-Native people and use the idea of land ownership, geographical borders and rote categorization—can be. Looking from a sheet of paper in her hands out onto a small audience, she began to read names of tribes that once populated the Eastern Woodlands, and are still a vibrant part of their life and culture, regardless of recognition.

The Mohegan, she read. Niantic. She lifted a tortoise shell rattle and smiled. Nipmuc! “I’m always going to represent,” she added with a laugh. The Paugessets.

Pequots. The Podunk. The Quinnipiac.

Schaghticoke. The Tunxis. Wangunk.

Mattabesett.

Behind her, Jennifer Rawlings and Rene Shining Star McClain waited quietly, adding their voices to the mix as Jackson-McArthur stepped back. Rawlings, who grew up in New Haven, acknowledged the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, the Aquinnah Wampanoag of what is now recognized as Martha’s Vineyard, the Herring Pond and Assonet Wampanoag, the Abenaki, Pawtucket, Pennacook, Nauset, Patuxet and Pokanoket.

Overhead, the sun continued to rise and heat the ground, as if it was listening.

McClain, who is from the Wabbaquasset Nipmuc band, brought it home as she nodded to the Narragansett of Rhode Island, Wampanoag, Pokanoket, and Natick.

“We were first contact,” Jackson-McArthur said. “We were first assimilated. So we’re going to look a lot different than what the media’s gonna try to make you

Members of the Pomham Singers, who are part of the Mashapaug Nahaganset Tribe in what is now recognized as Rhode Island. Lucy Gellman Photos.

Jennifer Rawlings, Tamiko Jackson-McArthur, and Andre Strongbearheart Gaines, Jr.

think. So when you tell us ‘Well, you might not be Indian’ …Don’t ever say that to someone who says, ‘I am Native.””

To one side, the Pomham Singers brought that message to life as they ushered in a round dance, inviting all attendees to join.

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As members of the Mashapaug Nahaganset Tribe, musicians began to sing steadily, the drum ringing out as Watson called out directions. Just yards away from them, Rawlings extended her arms, hands interlocking until a wide, sun-splattered

circle had formed.

From across the grass, New Haven elder Elaine Peters made her way slowly towards the group, finding a space to enter with her walker. Her dog, a chihuahua named Coconut, padded patiently behind her as the circle began to move. She looked to her right and her left, watching as the whole slowed to accommodate her movements.

“In the middle and make some noise!”

Watson cried out, and almost two dozen people moved in toward the center of the grass, voices raised towards the blue sky.

Multiple times before and after, speakers commented on what a day the Creator had gifted them, even in a time of climate disaster and a rapidly warming earth.

As they finished, attendees settling back on the grass, Gaines balanced the joy of that moment and of the day with the pain of Native history in the U.S., where white supremacy and colonialism have for centuries been used as a tool to violently divide and oppress people. Wrapping his left hand gently around the drum that had been in his lap, he began to play, his voice floating over the space. Across his sweatshirt, the words Land Back peeked out in black and gray.

“These songs, they are 10, 12,000 years old, as old as we are, as old as the earth is,” he said, looking up after he had finished. “I look around and I think about the weight that’s on the earth right now.”

“For 10, 12,000 years, we walked these lands in right reciprocity … I know that we needed to be here today, to be in solidarity with each other,” he said.

There is so much heavy history there, he added. Until the American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978, Native people risked punitive legal action and retaliation for speaking their language, growing out their hair, and holding on to the rites and rituals that had been passed down for generations. Decades later, the trauma of that history is still palpable and present.

“Don’t you think that assimilation did enough to us?” he asked aloud, to a few answers of Yes! and Mmmmm that bubbled up from 20 people who had settled on the grass.

Telling the story of a single healthy cedar swamp that remains in his community, he encouraged attendees to learn about Massachusetts Executive Order 126, which is supposed to protect the rights and customs of Native people, but is not always respected by local governments or law enforcement. Gaines has lived that firsthand: he was harassed by local police in Natick, Mass. while harvesting cedar for a traditional wetu, or longhouse.

He also stressed the importance of the Land Back movement, which bucks colonial notions of land ownership for Indigenous sovereignty. “Do you understand why we need to be back on the land?” he asked, and again, a small chorus Con’t on page 10

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - November 01, 2023 - November 07, 2023

City Lands $7.7M Federal Lead-Abatement Grant

by THOMAS BREEN The new haven independent Lead paint hazards will be removed from 200 more New Haven homes — and 130 local contractors, maintenance workers, and landlords will receive training in how to do that children’s-health-protecting work — now that the city has been awarded a new $7.7 million federal grant.

Mayor Justin Elicker, city Health Director Maritza Bond, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, State Rep. Pat Dillon, Edgewood Alder Evette Hamtilon, and a handful of other city, state, and federal representatives celebrated that new infusion of public-health funds during a Friday afternoon press conference held outside of 1401 Ella T. Grasso Blvd.

The cause for celebration was the city’s recent receipt of a new three-and-a-halfyear, $7.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Lead-Based-Paint Hazard Reduction Program.

The grant comes amid National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, during which city health officials Bond and Rafael Ramos and their team have stepped up their public outreach around how best to protect children under six from ingesting chipping and flaking lead paint, which

Health Director Bond (center) at Friday's presser.

can cause lifelong development delays, lowered IQs, and attention deficits. That outreach has included “wet cleaning” demonstrations and giveaways, “healthy homes” workshops for homeowners, reading aloud to school kids stories that

raise awareness, promoting a public-facing online dashboard about elevated blood lead cases around town, and the erection of lawn signs in neighborhoods throughout the city with information about how to prevent lead poisoning of children.

On Friday, Elicker and Bond spoke about how this new $7.7 million grant will go a long way towards helping protect even more New Haven children from such eminently preventable harm.

“New Haven has the highest standard

in the state as far as lead remediation,” Elicker said about the local threshold of 5 micrograms per deciliter that triggers city action to protect children with elevated blood lead levels. This $7.7 million grant will allow New Haven to “bolster our current efforts [and] eliminate lead hazards in 200 housing units” and also “train and certify over 130 contractors, maintenance workers, and property owners” in how to abate lead hazards themselves, Elicker said.

Bond said that these new funds build off of a $5.6 million federal grant that the city received in 2019 that has led to the leadhazard remediation of 251 local homes.

If your house was built before 1978, Bond said, which is when the federal government finally outlawed lead in house paint, “be proactive,” apply for these funds, and do what you can to ensure that your house is lead safe.

“Lead stops the brain from growing and developing,” Blumenthal said. “What we’re doing here is saving kids from the slowing down of their development that lead causes.”

Hamilton agreed. “We are grateful for another arsenal to protect children and families in our city.”

In Fair Haven, Delight & Connection At Bilingual Story Hour The Arts Paper newhavenarts.org

At 10:29 on Tuesday morning, the Fair Haven Library’s downstairs classroom was orderly and quiet. Foam blocks, wooden puzzles, and plastic play sets were neatly tucked away at the righthand side of the room. The bright rug, ready for play with words in English and Spanish, sat empty. Rainbow-themed bulletin boards waited for young eyes.

Then at 10:30, joyous mayhem broke loose: nearly 40 children between three and five waddled into the room in their winter coats. Adults helped them out of their cold-weather wear, and like veterans, the kids found seats on the carpet.

It was time for the library’s weekly Bilingual Storytime, also called Stay and Play or “Quédate y Juega.” Every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m., longtime volunteer and children’s author Nohra Bernal reads a 30-minute selection of stories in English and Spanish for local families and daycare attendees. Just like any other week, she begins by singing a “Comó Estás” song, inviting the children to reflect on their moods and relinquish some of their frenzied energy before the stories begin.

For Saula Gonzalez and her daughter, Emily, the routine is familiar. The pair attended Bilingual Storytime regularly last school year and were excited to return for their first time this fall.

“It is nice for the kids. They practice paying attention and they learn something,” Gonzalez said. Her daughter Emily speaks Spanish, English, and Portuguese. Gonzalez highly values the bilingual nature of Fair Haven Library’s storytime, believing it sets Emily up for “a better future.”

Emily is an avid fan of storytime as well. When asked if she enjoyed listening to Bernal read, a grin sprouted across her face. “Yes!” she declared. “I learn!”

As the “Cómo Estás” song came to a close, Emily, who had been nestled between her mother’s knees, scrambled to the carpet to find a seat. Bernal began by reading “Que Viene El Lobo,” a story about a sneaky wolf who the reader must shoo away by tilting and turning the book upside down. Bernal read the story with striking dynamism that hushed the rowdy sea of children into a shockingly wellmannered audience.

“They really really pay attention,” Centro San Jose teacher Esther noted, crediting Bernal’s animated readings.

Catholic Charities’ Centro San Jose brings nearly 30 school readiness students to storytime every Tuesday. They walk down Grand Avenue with a red wagon in tow that will eventually pile up with children’s coats. Storytime is one of the kids’ favorite activities, as they get to socialize in one large group, rather than being split

Rebaño.”

Nohra Bernal, a children's author, reads from "Que Viene El Lobo.” Elena Unger into individual classrooms. if he waited one more day, the hen would With a packed house before her, Bernal be even bigger. He waited and waited, but continued to read a series of five animal- soon enough he was too hungry to wait themed picture books, each broken up by any longer. In a wildly amusing twist, a song to get the kids moving and give just as the fox is about to pounce on the them an opportunity to reset their atten- hen, the hen gobbles him up. The kids tion spans. squealed gleefully as the fox disappeared A fan favorite of the half-hour storytime from the page. was “La Gallina Hambrienta,” a story about a hungry hen that got fatter every Other reads from the half-hour included day. A fox wanted to eat her, but he knew “Los Pollitos,” “Me Gusta,” and “El

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“Most kids are fluent in Spanish and they are interested in keeping their home’s language,” Bernal said, as she spoke on the importance of having a bilingual space for children.

When the clock struck 11 a.m., Bernal collected her belongings and hustled to a DMV appointment. The end of structured storytime marked the beginning of free play; kids sprawled across the room, their hands overflowing with toys.

The Fair Haven Library invites families and students to “quédate y juega” or “stay and play,” making use of the classroom space and materials. Bilingual Storytime not only promotes learning and multiculturalism, it opens avenues of social connection between parents, teachers, and children. The program allows the Fair Haven Library to operate as a community center that endows participants with the wonder and richness of both friendship and reading.

“The kids get the space to get to know each other. They play together. Also, they get to meet other kids from the community,” Esther said, smiling.

The New Haven Free Public Library puts on storytimes throughout the week at various branches; the schedule can be found here.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - November 01, 2023 - November 07, 2023

Dems Double Down On 4-Year Terms

by THOMAS BREEN The new haven independent Confident in a victory at the polls in November’s contested mayoral election, Democrats from across the city and state turned their attention to a more uncertain proposition: a charter revision ballot question that, if approved, would increase mayoral and aldermanic terms from two to four years each.

Updating the city’s foundational governing document to allow for longer terms in office — and what supporters described as a better functioning government — was front and center Saturday morning at a get-out-the-vote rally held outside of Mayor Justin Elicker’s reelection campaign headquarters at 506 Whalley Ave. Roughly 50 elected officials, Democratic Town Committee members, and local labor advocates gathered on Whalley Avenue near Ella T. Grasso Boulevard to cheer on the slate of incumbent Democrats running in this year’s Nov. 7 municipal elections.

That included Elicker, a former alder and environmental nonprofit leader who is seeking a third two-year term as mayor.

Elicker is running on the Democratic and Working Families Party lines against Republican and Independent Party challenger Tom Goldenberg and unaffiliated petitioning candidate Wendy Hamilton.

In a city where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans 15 to 1 and where every local elected office is held by a Democrat, speaker after speaker at Saturday’s rally expressed confidence that Elicker would handily prevail on Nov. 7.

“I don’t think Mayor Elicker is going to have a tough time winning at all, but we can’t take it for granted,” Board of Alders President Tyisha Walker-Myers said.

“I think he’s got it in the bag,” said Liam Brennan, a former legal aid attorney and federal prosecutor who ran against Elicker in September’s Democratic mayoral primary, and who attended Saturday’s rally in full support of his erstwhile opponent.

Instead, the speakers urged the party faithful in attendance to do what they can to boost turnout so that Elicker wins by a hefty margin. Election turnout is one indication of a city’s “vitality and vibrancy,” New Haven State Sen. and President Pro Tem Martin Looney said. “We need to make sure that turnout is high enough” that Elicker doesn’t just win by a sizable percentage, but that the overall number of New Haveners who vote is an “impressive amount.”

To try to reach those higher turnout numbers, speakers celebrated Elicker as a hard worker and person of integrity, and pointed to such accomplishments by his administration as winning more financial aid from the state and Yale, supporting the unionization of the Graduate Hotel, establishing the non-cop crisis response team COMPASS, and boosting tenants unions citywide.

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THOMAS BREEN PHOTO Mayor Elicker: "We cannot wait another 20 years to have a government that runs effectively and efficiently.”

Elicker reelection campaign lit.

Governing Over Campaigning: MovElicker drove that message home in With spirits high about a likely mayoral ing to four year terms will free our local his closing remarks at the nearly hourwin, every Democrat who took the mic elected officials to focus [on] governing long rally. on Saturday — from Brennan to Walker- rather than campaigning every other year.

He listed other Connecticut cities that Myers to Looney to DTC Chair Vinnie Most major municipalities in Connecticut already have four-year terms for mayor, Mauro to U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal have four-year terms.” and didn’t mention that some still have to U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro to Board of Local Republicans and the chair of the two-year terms for local legislators.

Alders Majority Leader Richard Fur- city’s parks commission have been cam- “Is it good enough for Hartford?” he low to state Treasurer Erick Russell to paigning against the charter question in asked about four-year mayoral terms, New Haven Rising leader Scott Marks recent weeks, with the former arguing to applause from the crowd. “Is it good to Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz to Elicker against four-year terms and the bundling enough for Waterbury? Is it good enough himself — put a special emphasis during of all these matters into a single opaque for Stamford? Is it good enough for Hamtheir remarks on supporting the passage question, and the latter speaking out in the den? Is it good enough for New Haven?” of the charter revision question on this hopes of preserving his lifetime appoint- (From what this reporter could find, while year’s ballot. ment to the volunteer-run public greens- all of those cities and towns indeed have That single question will appear on the pace board. four-year terms for mayor, only Hartright side of every local ballot on Nov. Saturday served as an opportunity for ford and Stamford have four-year terms 7, and will read: “Shall the City approve Democrats to swing back against those for local legislators. Bridgeport, Waterand adopt all other Charter changes as charter-revision critiques — and to try to bury, and Hamden legislators serve tworecommended by the Charter Revision convince fellow party members and the year terms.)

Commission and approved by the Board general public to vote yes on the bal“Twenty years ago, we tried this,” Elickof Alders?” lot question. er continued on Saturday as he described What does that mean, you might ask?

Alder Prez Tyisha Walker-Myers (cen- a charter-revision push for four-year It means four-year instead of two-year ter): "We're going to challenge people on terms. “Twenty years ago we tried this terms for mayor, alders, and city clerk their 'no' on the charter question.” and it failed. Do you want to wait another starting with the municipal elections in “We gave the opposition an opportunity 20 years? … We have got to get this thing 2027. It also means increased pay for to talk to people and say ‘no’ on the char- across the finish line. … We cannot wait alders, gender neutral language in the ter question,” Walker-Myers said. “Now another 20 years to have a government charter, and moving most requirements what we’re going to do is we’re going to that runs effectively and efficiently.” for department heads and city boards and get out there and tell everybody to vote Elicker also lambasted Belowsky (whose commissions from the charter to city ordi- Row A, and we’re going to challenge peo- last name he mistakenly referred to as nance, among other changes. ple on their ‘no’ on the charter question.”

Lebowski), petitioning Ward 25 alder Elicker and every other speaker on Sat- Furlow said that four-year terms and challenger Dennis Serfilippi, and the New urday stood alongside campaign signs the other charter revision proposals will Haven Republican Party for campaigning reading: “Vote Yes For 4-Year Terms! On “cause our government to flow better” against the charter revision question.

Charter Revision.” and will bring the city’s constitution “into The Republican Party is “not interested Elicker also showed the crowd DTC- the 21st century.” in governing in Washington, and is not printed flyers explaining what changes Brennan described the charter revi- particularly interested in an efficient govare included in the charter revision pro- sion question as a “once in a generation ernment in New Haven,” Elicker charged. posal, and why local Democrats think opportunity” to give local government “We need to get the word out and educate they should pass. a chance to plan better for the long term. voters about what is on the ballot.”

The first answer in the “Why Vote Yes?” “Let’s make this a more functioning govsection of that flyer reads, “Prioritize ernment.”

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Contributing Writers David Asbery / Tanisha Asbery Jerry Craft / Cartoons / Barbara Fair Dr. Tamiko Jackson-McArthur Michelle Turner / Smita Shrestha William Spivey / Kam Williams Rev. Samuel T. Ross-Lee

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Paul Bass www.newhavenindependent.org

Memberships National Association of Black Journalist National Newspapers Publishers Association Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce Greater New Haven Business & Professional Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council, Inc. The Inner-City Newspaper is published weekly

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - November 01, 2023 - November 07, 2023

Young New Haveners LEAP Into Halloween

By Melissa Liriano The new haven independent The following citizen contribution was submitted by Leadership, Education and Athletics in Partnership (LEAP) Communications Coordinator Melissa Liriano.

Halloween started early in New Haven last Friday, as over 500 children and families celebrated together at the Dixwell Community “Q" House. Leadership, Education and Athletics in Partnership (LEAP), a New Haven education nonprofit, and the Q House hosted their annual Halloween Festival. The festival was a free and open event for all members of the community, and it was a huge success!

Children of all ages and their families from all over the city came out to enjoy the festivities, which included a broad variety of activities and performances.

Children carved pumpkins, escaped the “escape room,” played tic tac tooth with Yale pediatricians, got their faces painted by LEAP counselor artists, learned

Leadership, Education and Athletics in Partnership (LEAP) Photos.

line dancing in the dance studio, brought home books from the book giveaway, and watched live performances by Lati-

no América Unida, Sigma Gamma Rho, Proyecto Cimarrón, LEAP's Leaders in Training,. They also enjoyed a child-

friendly interactive drum session by Gammy Moses.

Of course, no Halloween festival

would be complete without trick-ortreating! Thanks to the generosity of the community, there was plenty of candy to go around. Volunteers from the Dixwell neighborhood helped to hand out candy to the trick-or-treaters, and they made sure that everyone had a safe and enjoyable time. Children left the Trickor-Treat trail at 8 p.m. with full bags of candy to enjoy.

The LEAP and Q House Halloween Festival was a wonderful opportunity for the community to come together and celebrate the holiday. The generosity and support of many individuals and organizations made the festival a wonderful success, including Noble Wealth Advisors, Yale Hiring Initiative, the LEAP board of directors, over 20 of LEAP’s neighbors at Monterey Place Apartments who gave out candy, and many more.

Thanks to the New Haven community for coming together to support LEAP's mission of providing high-quality enrichment opportunities for all New Haven youth.

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Featuring the Connecticut Chamber Choir

Use code: CIT YNEWS25 to purchase tickets for either event for $25 (does not include Meet & Greet with artists).

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - November 01, 2023 - November 07, 2023

New Haven Reads Bee Buzzes Back Into Action

Lucy Gellman, Editor, The Arts Paper newhavenarts.org

Fifth grader Grant Harris was on a roll.

In front of him, a line of volunteers rearranged a series of letters into the word M-A-G-I-C-A-L, giggling as the audience jumped in with suggestions. He bounced around the stage, studying the word. In the audience, his mom and dad watched every move with bated breath.

Grant raised his arms above his head in a show up victory, as a smile burst across his face.

That infectious joy dominated the 11th annual New Haven Reads Spelling Bee, held last Friday night at the Yale School of Management in New Haven's East Rock neighborhood. A fundraiser for the local literacy nonprofit New Haven Reads, the bee raised over $20,000 for the organization, which in its two decades has tutored over 7,000 students and distributed over 2.6 million books in New Haven. In those 20 years, over 10,000 tutors have passed through its doors.

Over 400 people came out to support the event, which marked the first in-person bee since 2019. The Linguinis, a team of Yale linguistics students, won the bee after petitioning their way back into the final round on a variant spelling of the word “holism.”

“Each and every one of the kids [that we serve] has dreams of their future,” said Executive Director Kirsten Levinsohn as six “swarms” of teams found their seats in the audience. “But they can’t do that if they can’t read.”

She added that the organization is always looking for tutors: there are hundreds of students still on a long and seemingly perennial waitlist, and New Haven is still in the midst of a city-wide literacy crisis.

Even before it began in the building’s bright auditorium, the bee buzzed with energy, teams running over last-minute spelling preparations (can you spell “Laryngectomy?” What about “Butteris?”) and checking to see that their costumes, all manner of yellow-and-black striped headbands, beekeeper suits, see-through and glittery black wings and Halloweeny witch hats, were ready for the stage.

Winding through the lobby, members of the “Margot Robbees” struck a pose, with costumes culled from Barbie and Suicide Squad. By trays of cheese and crackers, three “Spelling Witches” with high black hats and magic wands tried to find the right tone for a word-perfect night.

Nearby, two members of “Beauty and the Bee-sts” slipped their masks over their faces, transforming into woodland characters before taking the stage in the second swarm.

At a table outside the auditorium, friends Kim Stoner, Victoria Inojosa, Pat Carroll and Claudia and David Kingsbury chatted before heading in to compete. All members of the Greater New Haven Commu-

Grant Liam Harris. Lucy Gellman Photos.

nity Chorus, three of them had formed the “GNHCC Bee Sharps” to cheer on the work that New Haven Reads does.

“It’s important for us to be supportive of the community and we love supporting New Haven Reads,” said Stoner, a real-life bee enthusiast who studies how exposure to pesticides affects pollinators.

The spelling bee is close to her heart, she added: she was a competitive speller in her youth, and came close to winning twice in the Shenandoah Valley Spelling Bee when she was a kid. The first time, her brother beat her on the word “kewpie.” The second, she missed the spelling of “fuschia” by a few letters. Decades later, she still remembers those words.

Nearby, Science Park Site Director Jaala Welch and her friend Lennix prepared to cheer on their first bee, excited for the shimmering webs of words they were about to hear. A poet in addition to her work in literacy, Welch has long been a self-described “geek about words,” with a fierce love for language that she brings with her everywhere she goes. She said she still remembers competing in a fifth grade spelling bee, in which she lost on the word “biscuit.”

“I just love learning new words,” she said when asked what had brought her out to the bee. Her favorite, currently, is “juxtaposition.”

Inside the auditorium, the air crackled with excitement, attendees finding their seats as bright costumes dotted the room.

Just beyond the top row, a clock glowed red with the time, counting down the minutes to 7 p.m. As judges took their seats in the front row, hosts Christine Huber and Ray Andrewsen jumped into action, reading off a list of rules for the night.

“Smile and have fun!” Huber said, and the audience seemed to relax instantly.

Friends Lennix and Jaala Welch.

Toward the stage, staff from Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services transformed into the “Institute of Relentlessly Inventive Spellers,” adjusting white coats and goggles as they arranged a trio of purple lilies in vases. Eyes glimmering, they watched the first swarm take the stage, spellers warming up with the words “Beehive,” “Nectar,” and “Restaurant.”

“Relegate!” proposed Word Guru Barbara Rockenbach, indefatigably chipper

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as she spoke into the mic. When whiteboards went back up, the audience began to murmur: members of Alvin & The Chipmunks had spelled the word with an “a.” It was the first faux pas of the night.

Huber approached their table to officially let them know they were out.

“You just got relegated!” she said. From their seats, all four judges (State Sen. Gary Winfield, NHPS Superintendent Dr. Madeline Negrón, City Librarian Maria

Bernhey and Gateway Community College English Professor Lauren O’Leary) began to laugh as they moved on to the word “omnipotent” with one less team competing.

It was the beginning of an evening that was at turns funny, contentious, and jubilantly dorky, with moments that celebrated both young spellers and spellers who were clearly young at heart. Just moments after teams nailed “omnipotent,” “demur” took several competitors out. “Foment” may have left teams unscathed, but “Googol” took no mercy. By “Staphylococcus,” only two teams in the first swarm were left standing.

“Spell it out!” an attendee yelled down to Rockenbach after teams offered up their whiteboards, including what appeared to be a drawing of a teddy bear.

The judges murmured among themselves: no one had gotten it. The swarm moved on to “asceticism,” leaving the Bee In Tunes (also representing the Greater New Haven Community Chorus) victorious.

The night was still young: there were five swarms to go.

Throughout, spellers tapped into those moments of sheer delight, some channeling their own literary heroes, wordsmithing movie stars, and bygone decades (we see you, tie-dye-clad Hip Bees) on the cusp of Halloween. Taking the stage in swarm three, the “Zombees” dominated with “liquefy,” teammates gasping in shock as the word took out every other team in the round (like “wholism,” the word later became a point of contention and led to extra competitors in the final round).

Back in their seats, team members said they were thrilled to participate.

All sophomores at the Hopkins School, they admitted that they hadn’t expected to move on to the last round. At school, none of them think of spelling of their favorite subject: they were tapped by teachers to compete. Their winning word was fitting, however— liquefying things is ingrained in the zombie lexicon.

“I was so nervous!” said Dylan Delgado, careful not to smudge the waxy black stitches painted onto his face. Rain Zeng added that she was too, a feeling that quickly gave way to excitement when the team got onstage.

The three also set the stage for participants like Grant, who had come with his family, and ended up participating after hosts announced a “word jumble” that was open to members of the audience. On stage, he soared through words, inviting the audience to help him.

Still riding the high back in his seat—and with a gifted jar of honey in tow—he said he was happy to celebrate words and reading.

“I like spelling words!” he said. “Like, if someone gives me a word, I can usually spell it. Like ‘hypothermia.’ This feels great. It just feels great.”

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - November 01, 2023 - November 07, 2023

1,100 Smiles Brightened At Free Dental Clinic

by LISA REISMAN

The new haven independent

In the midst of a teeming bazaar of dental specialists cleaning, drilling, and extracting on Friday morning at Floyd Little Athletic Center, Leonard Gorham, a 71-year-old Air Force veteran from New Haven, relaxed into his dental chair, waiting to be fitted for a partial denture.

Its cost, ordinarily $500 to $1,500, was $0.00.

“I was hit by a gun from behind and they had to remove the teeth, this was years ago,” Gorham said on Friday morning, amid the buzz and squeal of dental instruments sounding through 45,000 square feet of the cavernous field center. He’d pick up the partial denture Saturday morning.

Gorham was among the 1,100 patients to receive cost-free first-come first-served dental care at the 16th annual Mission of Mercy clinic, a twoday affair on Friday and Saturday that afforded free dental care to underserved and uninsured people in Connecticut.

“There’s such an unmet need because of the cost of health care,” said Lisa Perry-Swain, executive director of the Connecticut Foundation for Dental Outreach, which hosts Mission of Mercy clinics throughout the state. On Monday, the Foundation estimated that the clinic provided dentistry services totaling close to $1.2 million.

“It’s less an access to care issue because there are 2,600 dentists in this state, but due to the cost of dental care, and the cost of living, people can’t afford it,” she said.

At a press conference last Monday boosting the clinic, city Health Director Maritza Bond cited statistics from the federal Centers for Disease Control showing “over 29 percent of our community across [the] country lacks dental care,” including “62 percent of older adults” who do not have dental insurance.

Among the 1,000 volunteers that traveled from as far off as Florida and Vermont was Dr. James Bednarzyk of East Rock Dental, who was engaged in pulling out teeth in the Extractions section.

“Hey Larry,” he called out to Dr. Larry Levy, co-vice chair of CT Mission of Mercy and a dentist in Middletown.

“Remember those two teeth? The one with the big hole didn’t break.”

“You’re a star,” Levy said.

“I got lucky,” he replied, chuckling.

“I am lucky. So far I’ve had a wonderful career. I’ve worked in New Haven over 40 years, and this is my way of

LISA REISMAN PHOTO Leonard Gorham with Dr. Frederick Landy at Floyd Little-hosted clinic.

Queuing up for free dental care at 9 am Friday morning.

Dr. James Bednarzyk with Carmen Mylen.

8

giving something back of the skills that came from my education at UConn Dental School.”

Beside him was Carmen Mylen.

“This is my dental assistant Carmen,” he said. “We go back one hour.”

Mylen said she’s been volunteering for the past 13 years.

“All over the state, every year wherever it is, that’s where I go,” she said.

“I came from Southington and I’m going to drive home tonight and come back first thing tomorrow morning.”

“The patients, they need the help, and they’re coming and letting us do the work,” she said. “We need them, they need us.”

Thereupon the two turned their attention to Frank Lopez who was waiting to have two teeth extracted.

“They’re a little bit painful, so I’m grateful,” he said in Spanish, with Mylen translating.

At the patient education table, Anthony Lopez was engaged in conversation with a group of students from the University of New Haven dental hygiene program.

“I’m smiling because I had a very thorough cleaning by a very qualified hygienist from Wethersfield,” said Lopez, an Army veteran who heard about the clinic at the West Haven VA. “People realize the importance of dental work but we can’t all afford it, so this is a really special thing.”

One of the students handed him a Ziploc with floss, a toothbrush, and mouthwash. “Really make sure you massage your gums when you’re brushing,” she told him.

University of New Haven dental hygiene program students from left, Sarah Widtfeldt, Alyssa Falcon, Alexis Votto, Shannon Gregrich, Marisa LaRocca, Java Ahamed (University of Bridgeport), and Erica Christensen.

“Our school set this up for us,” said another, as Lopez exited. “We have public health rotations, so it’s a requirement, but I really love teaching people about how they can avoid gum disease by smoking cessation or if they’re having mobility problems, how they can brush.”

Alexis Rodriguez was in the dental hygiene section directing patients to the waiting area in the stands and calling their names when a hygienist was ready. It was her first time volunteering at the clinic.

“Super super organized,” said Rodriguez, a student at Southern who’s double majoring in Spanish education and medical Spanish, and plans to work as a hospital interpreter.

Seeing the line snaking along Sherman Avenue as she was driving in that morning, “I wanted to cry,” she said.

“You don’t realize how many people need this desperately. I talked to a patient. She waited overnight. I just can’t believe if this is just Connecticut and this is the amount of people who need health care and dental services, what the rest of the country is going through.”

Near the door, volunteer Paul Venti stood at a cart stocked with granola bars, yogurt, bananas, and bottled water for those standing in line.

“This is my tenth time doing this, and it’s just so rewarding,” said Venti; he drove from North Carolina and put himself up at Days Inn for two nights.

“These are people that may have low self-esteem, and then they come out of here and they’re so grateful because now they can smile.”

Perry-Swain, the executive director, said the clinic is supported by grants, sponsorships, in-kind donations, and individual donations, but state and federal funding are crucial to keep it going.

“Legislators need to understand that we are saving them money,” she said, expressing the Foundation’s appreciation to New Haven State Rep. Toni Walker and Newington State Rep. Gary Turco for their appearances, Dr. Suzanne Lagarde for facilitating 249 doses of flu and Covid vaccines through the Fair Haven Community Health Clinic, as well as the army of volunteers.

“Many of these patients who come to the clinic would not otherwise see another dental professional, so if they have infections or issues with their teeth that become extreme, they tend to go to the ER, and a lot of them are on Medicare and Medicaid, so that cost is absorbed by the state.”

Denture technician Ed Hansen was in the makeshift dental lab, custombuilding removable dentures for a patient that had a tooth extracted earlier that day.

“I’m going to make them an appliance, and they’ll go home with it tomorrow morning,” said Hansen, who traveled from the Champlain Dental Lab in Williston, Vermont.

“These people, they need it, and these are cost prohibitive,” he said, getting up to retrieve the tooth. “Dental care is health care and health care is a human right. You gotta help these folks out.”

“Amen to that,” said a woman who was passing by, a broad smile on her face. “This is everything.”

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - November 01, 2023 - November 07, 2023

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - November 01, 2023 - November 07, 2023

$7M In State Aid Flows To Whalley Housing, Traffic-Safety Projects

by THOMAS BREEN A long-delayed, church-led affordable housing development on Whalley Avenue took a big step towards breaking ground — alongside a suite of traffic calming measures on the perilously car-heavy corridor near Stop & Shop — thanks to a $7 million infusion from the state.

City and state officials joined representatives from the St. Luke’s Episcopal Church and related St. Luke’s Development Corporation on Tuesday afternoon to celebrate two grants designed to transform that stretch of Whalley. Both grants come from the state’s Community Investment Fund, and were approved by the State Bond Commission in early October.

One grant is for $6 million, and will go towards St. Luke’s construction of 55 new apartments — 49 of which will be priced at 50 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) or below — at the site of the to-be demolished Papa John’s pizza restaurant and adjacent parking lots at 117 and 129 Whalley Ave., 12 Dickerman St., and 34 and 36 Sperry St. According to the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), 50 percent AMI in the New Haven-Meriden metro area currently translates to an annual income of around $57,350 for a family of four.

That planned six-story development will include 3,843 square feet of commercial space, and has been in the works for over a decade.

“The third time is the charm for us on this,” said Elm City Communities/Housing Authority of New Haven President Karen DuBois-Walton, who said that the public housing agency’s nonprofit development arm Glendower will work with the St. Luke’s development team to make this project a reality. That was a reference to previous unsuccessful funding applications for a project that has been planned for years and years.

“We chase every funding round,” she said. “This was the successful one.”

DuBois-Walton said that the 49 restricted affordable apartments will be made available to renters currently on the public housing authority’s 32,000-family waitlist.

City spokesperson Lenny Speiller said the total cost for the project is around $32.6 million. DuBois-Walton said construction should begin in “the last quarter of 2024,” with the 16-month-build slated to be completed and open to new tenants in March 2026. She said funding for the project is a mix of tax credits and project-based vouchers, in addition to the newly announced state aid.

Mayor Justin Elicker and City Engineer Giovanni Zinn also spoke at Tuesday’s presser about a second state grant approved as part of the Community Investment Fund and by the State Bond

55 planned new apartments on Whalley, now boosted by state $.

COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY OF NEW HAVEN PRESIDENT AMOS SMITH

GOVERNOR LAMONT ADDRESSES REPORTERS

Housing authority chief Karen DuBois-Walton (center) at Tuesday's presser.

Commission for the improvement of this stretch of Whalley: namely, $1 million that will go towards traffic-calming efforts on Whalley between Howe and Orchard.

Elicker Speiller said these funds will

support a $1.8 million total project that will see the construction of two raised intersections on that stretch of Whalley as well as one raised midblock peestrian crossing right by the Stop & Shop, along with other traffic-calming measures and

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ALDERMAN FRANK DOUGLAS

“streetscape / lighting / facade improvements.”

“Frankly, this is a dangerous road,” Elicker said about Whalley. There have been too many crashes, too many drivers and pedestrians and cyclists hurt.

Con’t from page 02

Woodland

of voices answered him. In a three-week period that has seen the violent displacement and murder of families from Palestine, the words hung low in the air, echoing long after he had spoken them.

As Watson and Rawlings took the mic to speak on the Center for Indigenous Peoples Rights (CIPR), Alder Frank Douglass, who is Shinnecock, said he was deeply grateful for the space to honor and celebrate his history, and the history of so many who had come before and would come after.

Raised in New Haven, Douglass credited his mother, 94-year-old Harriet Coles Douglass, for always instilling in him a sense of pride in who he was and is. When his daughter Frankie was born, he saw it as his charge to pass that on to her. For decades, he’s made sure that the family attends Shinnecock pow wows each year, making the journey to and from Long Island for the events. For him, it’s part of what it means to keep his heritage alive.

Back at the mic, Jackson-McArthur prepared to close out the afternoon with a poem titled “Ally, Or Fetish?” At the drum, the Pomham Singers prepared to sprinkle the surface with tobacco, in an offering to the Creator. Her words soared over the space, carrying all the way to Church Street in one direction, and out toward Chapel Street in the other. As she read, she conjured both Audre Lorde’s “A Litany for Survival” and something entirely of her own creation.

Do you love me, or do you want to own me? she began.

Do you want to put me on your shelf?

Do you honor me, or do you want to wear me?

Do you observe me, or do you want to imitate me?

Do you hear me, or do you play with me?

Do you love me, or do you want to own me?

As she continued, she encouraged people to call their elected representatives, and ask questions including “Whose land do we live on?” “What’s the history?” and “How are you honoring them?” (in New Haven, Mayor Justin Elicker’s answer is still with an Italian American Heritage Day).

She reminded people not to celebrate Christopher Colombus, whose true history includes the mass genocide of the Taíno people, to challenge colonial narratives wherever possible, and to work with Native people, rather than to assume what their communities need.

“Always remember that Natives look like all of you,” she added. “They look like everyone. We don’t look like what’s on t.v., or what’s on the Disney cartoon.

We don’t look like that. Get that out of your mind. Because when you do that, then you’ll be able to see us and appreciate where we are and what we’re doing, for our people and for you.”

Lucy Gellman Photos.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - November 01, 2023 - November 07, 2023

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - November 01, 2023 - November 07, 2023

Childcare, Early Ed Get $3.5M City Boost

by NORA GRACE-FLOOD The new haven independent More early childcare providers, higher wages for those teaching the city’s toddlers, and better help for parents struggling to find the right daycare or pre‑K for their kids.

Those are some changes that could happen here in New Haven, now that the city has committed $3.5 million in federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act to help its struggling childcare system — so long as providers come through with proposals about how to spend the money.

Local officials joined childcare workers Tuesday morning inside the Dr. Reginald Mayo Early Learning Center at 185 Goffe St. to announce that the Elicker administration has chosen the United Way of Greater New Haven and Cercle, a nonprofit seeking to improve early care for families of color, to translate those millions into grant opportunities. The presser attendees also called on organizations to submit their ideas for how to improve the quality and accessibility of childcare in order to receive those dollars.

“It’s remarkable how early childcare can change the trajectory of one’s life,” Elicker said Tuesday, speaking to how high quality education for those under five can help predict future financial stability and decrease one’s likelihood of incarceration or substance abuse down the line. However, chronic underinvestment in childcare, he said, is causing workforce shortages and leaving workers, parents, and children with limited options.

“The demand currently outweighs the

Georgia Goldburn on Tuesday: Financial incentives necessary to bring more teachers into early childcare.

supply,” he said, referencing a report from the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood which estimated that 2,200 more seats in early education programs would be required to serve all kids under five in need of care across New Haven.

The city has divided that $3.5 million in federal ARPA dollars — which are part of a $53 million allocation approved by alders in August 2022 — into three “buckets” of funding to try to repair that rift. $1.4 million will go towards improving the quality and scope of existing programming of early childcare and educa-

tion. $1.6 million will focus exclusively on developing the early childhood education workforce. And a final $500,000 will support a so-called “strategic planning process” so the city can independently identify the ongoing and changing needs of parents and providers alike in order to map out a long-term plan to bolster the local industry.

The United Way of Greater New Haven will oversee how $1.9 million of that $3.5 million pot is utilized. They will work with the city to lead that latter project — the “strategic planning” — to hold

community input sessions interviewing parents, childcare providers, local officials, and public school staff and students to collect testimonies about the current need for childcare specific to New Haven.

They will also field grant proposals for program development and expansion.

Jennifer Heath, the president and CEO of United Way’s New Haven chapter, said the first round of applications for those grants will open on Nov. 6 and close Dec. 5. Eligible applicants include licensed family and group childcare homes and centers within New Haven. The money can be used to cover anything from school supplies to necessary furniture, health, and safety upgrades or marketing, and translation or meal services.

Come January, the United Way will put out grant applications for additional proposals to not just improve the quality of care, but to expand it by requesting ideas from providers to increase their hours and overall capacity.

The United Way was also selected by the city this past year to coordinate a massvolunteer initiative to offer biweekly intensive tutoring for New Haven Public Schools students struggling with literacy, math, and science. Watch the press conference here in order to learn more about the results of that six week summer pilot.

Over that month and change, eight nonprofit organizations teamed up to offer individualized tutoring for over 400 students. This school year, 16 nonprofits are on board to increase the number of students served to 800. Another $3 million in ARPA funds were assigned to that ongoing tutoring effort.

Childcare provider and community organizer Georgia Goldburn, meanwhile, spoke to the ways her nonprofit, Cercle, will aim to allot the remaining $1.6 million in order to develop the early childcare workforce. The application for grants from Cercle are due by Dec. 10 and will cover costs related to staff professional development needs like courses or conferences for both aspiring or established teachers and providers or just the expenses related to recruiting, hiring, and training new staff.

“There’s a sizable gap between how many young children in New Haven need childcare and how many spots are available,” Heath reiterated.

“Classrooms are shuttered across the state because we cannot find teachers,” Goldburn added.

Keith Myers, the fiscal officer for Ms. Mia’s TLC Group Daycare, spoke briefly at Tuesday’s presser in support of the city’s decision to funnel more money into childcare. He told the Independent that his business will be applying for grant money to increase salaries for staff at the daycare.

“The problem right now is how can a teacher compete with something like Amazon?” he said. The most direct way to help parents, providers, and kids alike, he said, is to increase wages that will draw more teachers and staff into the industry.

“Everybody starts at minimum wage,” he said of those caring for classrooms of rambunctious infants and toddlers.

“To compete, you need to pay at least $19 an hour. We’re aiming to get our pay even higher.”

Connecticut’s Health Insurance Exchange Reopens Nov. 1 With Plan Rates Rising 9.4% On Average

by Christine Stuart It’s that time of year again for more than 108,000 Connecticut residents who get their health insurance through Access Health CT. The state’s health insurance exchange will reopen for business on Nov. 1 to offer health insurance plans to Connecticut residents. While it’s always important to shop and compare prices and benefits, this year there’s an added financial incentive because the average cost of a plan will go up 9.4%.

According to Wakely Consulting Group, by county, average rates are increasing the most in Litchfield and New London.

ConnectiCare Insurance Company, Inc. (CICI), Anthem Health Plans, Inc. (Anthem) and ConnectiCare Benefits, Inc. (CBI) are continuing participation on the exchange, with 22 proposed plans for next year. That’s down from 25 this year so customers will want to check if their plan will not be offered this year.

There will be 10 bronze plans, three sil-

ver, and seven gold plans offered along with two catastrophic plans available to a small segment of the population.

Plans purchased through the exchange are the only plans eligible for monthly premium tax subsidies. An estimated 87% of those enrolled in 2023 received some sort of subsidy. However, shopping is important because the cost of the plans have changed.

The example Wakely Consulting gave was a 56-year-old woman named Karen who lives in Fairfield and makes $65,000 a year. That’s above the 400% of federal poverty level which is $58,320 for 2024.

While the enhanced subsidies under the Inflation Reduction Act limit Karen’s premium costs to 8.5% of her income, she was enrolled in the lowest cost Silver plan in 2023. That plan will increase $118, so to minimize her rate increase in 2024 she might want to switch to the lowest cost bronze plan.

Customers must enroll on or before Dec. 15, 2023 for coverage to begin Jan. 1, 2024. Customers who enroll between

James Michel, CEO of Access Health, at a press conference on Dec. 13, 2021.

Credit: Hugh McQuaid / CTNewsJunkie

12

Dec. 16, 2023 and Jan. 15, 2024, will have coverage starting Feb. 1, 2024.

AHCT has several ways to get free, in-person help throughout the state, including one-day events called enrollment fairs, as well as enrollment locations and Navigators that host sessions during regular business hours during the week.

There’s also the option of enrolling online or calling a broker to help with the process.

For free online help, residents may visit AccessHealthCT.com. Live chat is available by clicking the “Live Chat” icon to connect with a customer service representative. Live chat is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6:45 p.m.

Residents may also contact the call center at 1-855-805-4325, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The call center will be open from 8 a.m. to midnight on Dec. 15, 2023 and Jan. 15, 2024.

The call center will be closed on Nov. 23, 2023, Dec. 25, 2023, and Jan. 1, 2024.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - November 01, 2023 - November 07, 2023

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - November 01, 2023 - November 07, 2023

Hundreds Turn Out For Q House College Fair

by THOMAS BREEN The new haven independent Hundreds of city teens got a chance to apply to colleges in-person in Dixwell — thanks to a Q House youth-led push to center the voices and needs of young New Haveners.

That college fair took place in the Q House community center’s gym at 197 Dixwell Ave. on Oct. 25.

According to the event’s organizers — including Higher Heights Youth Empowerment Program Founder and Executive Director Chaka Felder-McEntire, Dixwell Alder Jeanette Morrison, and Q House Youth Council Youth Director Xavier Jones, Youth Chair Kate Kim, and college intern Eliana Cortez — the fair saw 500 New Haven and Hamden high school seniors fill the gym.

They got to apply to and talk with representatives from 40 different colleges spanning Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, and Florida.

Felder-McIntyre said that 10 students received on-the-spot college acceptances last Wednesday, including five who received scholarship funds from Albertus Magnus College, the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, Moravian University, and Post University.

Also tabling at the event were Cornell Scott Hill Health Center, the New Haven

Opinion:

Hiring Initiative, and the city’s police and fire departments.

The event also was put on with the support of the Board of Education and the Hillhouse High School cheerleading team.

Jones and Kim — both of whom are 17-year-old Hillhouse High School seniors — said that the college fair was the first to take place at the reborn Q House, and the first major effort in their youthled push to make sure New Haven high schoolers see the Dixwell community center as a place for them.

As a place to participate in a range of after-school activities, like those at the gym or the recording studio, and to get help applying to and affording college.

“This building is what you make it. We’re trying to amplify your voices, your passion,” Jones said in his pitch to fellow New Haven high schoolers about why they should come to the Q House. The college fair was “the youth’s voice” put into action.

Jones and Kim are in the midst of their own college application processes, with Jones considering applying to Howard, Yale, and UConn, and Kim getting ready to send applications to Yale, Swarthmore, and Bowdoin. All as they continue working through their senior years at Hillhouse (favorite classes of the year so far: For

FACEBOOK PHOTO With NHPS Supt. Madeline Negrón at the college fair.

Pick Up The Pace On Electrification

by MEREDITH POLK The new haven independent Mayor Justin Elicker has stated that New Haven’s goal is to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. In 2021, the New Haven Board of Alders City Services and Environmental Policy Committee passed a resolution outlining the importance of electrification and the actions the city would take to electrify. This resolution was an important step towards net-zero, but it has been two years and the city has not made enough progress. New Haven has the opportunity and responsibility to save lives by implementing the promises in the resolution.

What does electrification have to do with saving lives? Electrifying buildings, buses, and more means they will no longer emit the dangerous chemicals that their gas-powered counterparts release indoors and outdoors. New Haven has made the list of cities that are most difficult to live in with asthma due to the burning of fossil fuels multiple times.

The World Health Organization estimates that 7 million people globally die from poor air quality every year.

New Haven’s electrification resolution lists eight specific steps that the city must take to develop and implement a plan to improve air quality and public health, in-

THOMAS BREEN FILE PHOTO Climate activists outside City Hall in 2019.

cluding: ° The City Engineer shall develop a schedule to replace all existing heating systems, and evaluate electrifying all new construction and existing heating systems. ● The Mayor shall work with Board of Education to electrify school transportation. ● The Livable City Initiative and Building Department will work with UI, the Green Bank, and other appropriate partners to educate current building owners about electrification incentives and resources. ● The Economic Development Department will produce a report on how electrification transition can create local jobs, boost local businesses, and support historically marginalized communities.

The New Haven Climate Movement put together a report card showing how much progress has been made on each of the action items. While some commitments have been put into motion, more must be done. Right now, the New Haven Office of Climate and Sustainability is spearheading efforts, but abandoning fossil fuels in favor of clean energy sources needs to be a focus across all city departments.

Here are some things the city can do now: ● Hold a hearing on the status of the

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promises of the Electrification Resolution before the end of 2023 to ensure that New Haven is on track to meet its electrification goal. ● Track and regularly report on carbon emissions to make progress towards these goals more transparent and accessible.

There are seven years left until 2030, so it may seem like there’s plenty of time left to fulfill these commitments. However, based on the minimal progress in the past two years, we need to pick up the pace.

The sooner we reduce fossil fuel emissions, the sooner we can reap the health, financial, and future benefits of cleaner, safer air.

It’s clear that the city recognizes that electrification is key to making New Haven a more livable and sustainable place, but we must increase the speed of change.

Here’s how you can help: ● Write to or call your alder and the mayor to encourage them to make more progress faster. ● Share this article and the electrification resolution on social media to get your friends involved. ● Learn more about how you can electrify your own life.

It’s going to take a lot of effort, but electrification will result in tangible long-term benefits for everyone.

Jones, “culinary,” for Kim, “APUSH,” or AP U.S. History). Jones is also taking a class at Yale this semester, called “Linguistics: Endangerment and Diversity,” and also is working at the Chick-Fil‑A in North Haven.

Last week’s college fair, Kim said, really “showed how much of an impact youth can have in the community.”

With the help of Felder-McEntire, Morrison, and others, the two have already put together a follow-up college-focused event — scheduled for Nov. 15 at the Q House.

They’re also looking for more young New Haveners to get involved with the Q House’s board, given that both Jones and Kim will be graduating from high school this year.

A college fair “saved my life” back in 1985, Morrison said, as she recalled traveling up to Hartford as a high school senior, running into her aunt, who was a guidance counselor, and getting encouraged to apply to Morgan State University — a HBCU in Maryland that she ultimately attended. “It changed the trajectory of my life.”

She praised the two young New Haveners for helping put together last week’s college fair with the hopes of changing the lives of some of the students who showed up, and encouraged fellow high schoolers to come out on Nov. 15 and sign up to participate in the Q House Advisory Board.

It has been a year since you have left You have been in our minds and memories every day Time will never erase what we shared together Love you always Your loving family Sharon Perkins Boyd

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - November 01, 2023 - November 07, 2023

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15

Growing up in the early 1990s, Thuso Mbedu never dreamt of being an entertainTHE INNER-CITY NEWS - November 01, 2023 - November 07, At 2023 ment figure. a very young age, she wanted to be a dermatologist, but after taking a dramatic arts class in the 10th grade, she became interested in acting.

Her acting career has earned her fame and toward on-time graduation. “When the fortune locally and internationally, rising decks are stacked differently for young to become one of the most sought after ac- men than they are for young ladies, why should we expect different outcomes?” he tresses from South Africa. At 27, she was questioned. named in the 2018 Forbes Africa 30 Under To support boys’ success, school poli30 List, and one of the 100 Most Influential cies in Buffalo have incorporated initiaAfricans by New African Magazine. tives from the “My Brother’s Keeper” Born on July 8, 1991, at the Midlands program. The district has also partnered Medical Center in Pietermaritzburg, Kwa- with the education advocacy group “Say Zulu-Natal in South Africa, to a Zulu moth- Yes Buffalo” to offer mentoring to male er and Xhosa and Sotho father, she never students and to recruit male teachers. Deenjoyed the care of her parents who died spite these efforts, the urban district rewhen she was barely four years old. She ported a 10-point graduation gender gap was raised by her grandmother, a very strict in 2022 (84%–74%) and an 11-point gap Thuso Mbedu. Photo -IOL (84%–73%) in 2021. school principal in school and at home.

Research from Buffalo’s spokesman, Her name reflected the multicultural tribes ‘Black Reel Awards’ (Outstanding Actress Jeffrey Hammond, indicates that girls TV Movie / Limited Series), ‘Hollyof her parents – Thuso is a Sotho name, –excel nationally in school overtheboys due Critics Association TV Awards’ (Best Nokwanda is a Zulu name, and Mbedu is wood to their propensity to plan, set academic Actress in ainvest Limited Series, Anthropology Xhosa. goals, and effort in achieving them. or Television Movie), fewer the ‘Gotham Mbedu went to Pelham Primary School Series He added that girls receive school (Outstanding Performance in New and Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High School Awards’ suspensions, demonstrating that they are generallythemore likely to follow rules ‘Hollywood Critics the Associaand graduated from the University of Wit- Series), and receive more (TV personalized TV Awards’ Breakoutinstruction Star), and watersrand in South Africa in 2013, where tion from‘Critics teachers.Choice Television Awards’ she studied Physical Theatre and Perform- the Though strides have Actressstraightforward in a Miniseries or Television ing Arts Management. Earlier in 2012, she (Best been made, understanding the Randall’ precise inMovie), all for her role ‘Cora in took a summer course at the Stella Adler The systemic problem not only hampers the immediate educational prospects of affected students but also casts a long shadow over their terplay between race and the gender gap the 2021 TV series ‘The Underground RailStudio of Acting in New York City. prospects as Black Americans. remains a challenge, with only ten states Former Superintendent road.’ less over their lifetimes and are more like- that over 45,000 fewer boys than girls toring programs. Career reporting graduation rates breaking it She by won thegender ‘TV Breakout Her acting careerhighlighted began in 2014 ly to end up in the criminal justice system. graduated high school in 2018. That year, Edwin Quezada thewhen needshe to down both and race.Star’ award the Hollywood Critics Association minor rolegap of ‘Nosisa’ in the popuaddressa the racial in graduation rates from Despite this, the U.S. government does approximately 88% of girls graduated on played The graduation gender gap “is harder to and won ‘Outstanding Performance not mandate states to report graduation time compared to 82% of boys. as aSouth crucial step toward comprehending lar African Soap Opera ‘Isibaya’ TV explain than the some of the other disparities The gender gap in graduation rates per- from the broader gap, which data by gender, in contrast to the requireawardReference from the Bureau’s Gotham Mzansi gender Magic. In 2015, she stood playedata in we New see,”Series’ Population sevenrole percentage points in Second 2022. Season Awards. ments for reporting data by racial and sisted at six percentage points in 2021, ac- guest as ‘Kheti’ in the Beth Jarosz told the Associated Press. ethnic groups, as well as for children with cording to a follow-up analysis. The gap of Quezada the news outlet that boys “We know that structural racism is for partthe of In 2022, Mbedu was nominated the SABCtold 2 youth drama series ‘Snake are referred to special education at higher ‘Independent disabilities, English language learners, has largely evaded comprehensive atten- Park.’ the explanation for why Black youth and Spirit Awards (Best Female and homeless students. Nevertheless, the tion from schools, though some have im- rates than girls in early grades and are Hispanic, Latino youth and American InShe got her first starring role in the teen Performance in a New Scripted Series), for Associated Press reported that researcher plemented effective strategies. Yonkers, suspended more frequently through- dian youth are less likely to graduate. But drama television series ‘IS’THUNZI’ from her role ‘Cora Randall’ in the 2021 televiRichard Reeves, who based on data avail- New York, for instance, improved gradu- out their school years. These factors, he it’s not a structural racism issue for boys series ‘The Underground Railroad.’

Magic where she impede played ‘Winnie.’ noted, can signifi cantly progress sion able from 37 reporting states, estimated ation rates for boys of color through men- Mzansi versus girls,” she said.

Her international debut was in ‘The Un- She won the ‘Critics Choice Television derground Railroad’ an American fantasy Awards’ for ‘Best Actress in a Miniseries or historical drama series based on the novel Television Movie’ for her role ‘Cora Ran‘The Underground Railroad’ written by dall’ in ‘The Underground Railroad.’

In her keynote speech at TheWrap’s PowColson Whitehead.

In 2022, she starred in her first film ‘The er Women Summit, Thuso Mbedu tearfully Woman King’ an epic historical drama spoke of how she overcame the loss of her about Agosie, where an entire female war- dear parents, grandmother, and aunt. But rior unit protected the West African King- her role in Amanda Lane’s ‘IS’THUNZI’ dom of Dahomey in the 17 – 19th century. gradually renewed her hope in life. “…my world was that blur, until AmanShe played ‘Nawi’, a zealous recruit in the da Lane happened in 2016. The role that military unit.

In 2017, Mbedu was nominated for the Amanda Lane gave me was the difference ‘DSTV Viewers Choice Awards’ and the between life and death for me. Receiv‘International Emmy Awards for the ‘Best ing that audition brief, I told myself that Performance by an Actress’ for her role I would audition like it was my last audi‘Winnie Bhengu’ in the 2016 -2017 televi- tion. I gave it the last of everything that I had, that at the time I got the callback, I had sion drama series ‘IS’THUNZI.’ In 2018, she won the ‘South African Film nothing left. I secretly made the decision and Television Awards’ for ‘ Best Actress not to do the callback because I had noth– TV Drama’ for her role ‘Winnie Bhengu’ ing left to give. But fortunately, I received in the 2016 -2017 television drama series the callback. So I didn’t do the callback be‘IS’THUNZI.’ She was also nominated for cause the role was mine. I had given up. I the ‘International Emmy Awards for ‘Best was in a very dark place at the time, and the character, the role, the opportunity, was a no for down payment Performance by an Actress’ her role ‘Winnie Bhengu’ in the 0% television drama interest much needed light. And I told myself that I will act as if it was the last character that series ‘IS’THUNZI.’ mortgage more than I will exceeds play. And through a great script and In 2021, she was nominated for thenever an amazing director, I earned two ‘Television Critics Association Award’ 30% of a family's monthly income Interna(Individual Achievement in Drama), the tional Emmy Awards for that role…”

Gender Disparities in High School Graduation Rates Unearthing Root Causes and Seeking Solutions

By Stacy M. Brown

In communities across America, the disparity in high school graduation rates between Black students and their counterparts of other racial backgrounds has long been a point of concern. Officials and activists have identified the deeply rooted issue of excessive student suspension as a significant contributing factor. The systemic problem not only hampers the immediate educational prospects of affected students but also casts a long shadow over their prospects as Black Americans.

However, a report in the Associated Press explored a less explored facet of the educational divide emerges when examining the gender gap within these communities. While boys and girls attend the same classes, have access to identical programs, and often come from the same families, girls consistently outperform boys in public high schools nationwide.

This gender disparity mirrors the achievement gap between students from affluent and low-income families, an issue that educational officials have closely monitored for years.

According to researchers, the reasons behind this discrepancy are multifaceted.

One factor that emerges prominently is that boys are also more susceptible to disciplinary measures, including suspensions, which can lead to falling off track.

Moreover, they are less likely to seek help when facing mental health challenges.

Research found that some boys initially find steady employment upon dropping out, but the long-term consequences of lacking a high school degree are stark.

Recent studies reveal that young men who leave high school prematurely earn

1 in 6 U.S. households pay half or more of their income on housing.

Let's do something about it.

16

14

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - November 01, 2023 - November 07, 2023 The organization previously planned to segregate books in book fairs, but after sparking national outrage, it now says it won’t.

Scholastic reverses controversial decision to separate books on race, gender and sexuality

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Students browsing books at the Book Fair International at Miami Dade College. (Photo courtesy Word in Black/Jefrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

By Aziah Siid, Word in Black At least once a year, students come to school with money they saved up, or a sealed envelope sent by their parents or guardian, for the annual Scholastic Book Fair. It’s an integral part of students’ yearly calendar festivities, giving them an opportunity to pick whatever their heart desires.

The nationwide book fairs allow students to discover books of their interest and pick what reads they want. It can be the latest book from a popular comic series like “Captain Underpants,” or the newest shiny pencil on display, but for over 40 years, Scholastic has tried to “empower” kids to choose their own books and school supplies, which it calls a “milestone opportunity” for students “to identify and express their own voice.”

But earlier this month, the organization announced a plan to segregate books on race, gender, and sexuality, leaving authors, education professionals, and parents criticizing the decision, especially when censorship and book bans through education facilities are at a high. That decision has now been reversed.

The decision to create the “Share Every Story, Celebrate Every Voice” collection, which included 64 controversial titles that elementary schools could choose to include or exclude from their book fairs, was made earlier this year. In the official statement, Scholastic said the decision to segregate the books was made to reduce the risk of “teachers, librarians, and volunteers vulnerable to being fired, sued, or prosecuted” for hosting these books in a district that has banned them.

In creating the sentiment that including this collection of books in an elementary school book fair was optional, Scholastic caused an uproar across social media and within those very librarians’ walls they were trying to keep out of harm’s way.

Scholastic clarified in the original statement that the separate collection was intended to ensure kids can access books that are targeted by book bans across the country.

“We don’t pretend this solution is perfect — but the other option would be to not

offer these books at all — which is not something we’d consider,” the organization said.

In the latest update, Scholastic apologized for the harm caused by its separate catalog and said it would be discontinued beginning in January when their next book fair season begins. Scholastic also pledged to “redouble our efforts to combat the laws restricting children’s access to books.”

Youth poet laureate Amanda Gorman, who read one of her poems at President Joe Biden’s inauguration, was one of the authors whose book “Change Sings” was listed for schools to opt in or opt out of including in their book fair. A book fair, she said, would never “censor her words.”

“It honestly feels like a betrayal,” Gorman wrote on Twitter about Scholastic’s initial decision to create a separate catalog of diverse books. “As an elementary student, for weeks, I’d save every single penny I had for the Scholastic Book Fair, because it felt like a safe place to explore and choose for myself what books I wanted to read, what stories I wanted to find representations of myself in.”

“The Scholastic book fair and catalogue opened the world to me and made me excited to read and own books,” author Nikole Hannah-Jones wrote on Instagram. “Imagine children now made to feel that stories of children like them are optional or shameful.”

The nonprofit organization We Need Diverse Books condemned Scholastic for the decision, stating that “Diversity is not a choice,” and demanded Scholastic desegregate its books fairs, which it described as an “institution that fostered a love of reading for generations of American children.”

“Scholastic must not treat history and the lived experiences of readers’ and authors’ diverse identities as something that may be ignored or opted out of,” WNDB wrote in a statement. “Scholastic may choose to either support diverse books completely or submit to bigotry and fascism…Scholastic’s recent misguided decision prioritizes profit over diversity and the welfare of students everywhere.”

This article was originally published

by Word in Black.

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These Bonds may not be sold, nor may offers to buy be accepted, prior to the time an Official Statement is delivered in final form. Under no circumstances shall this announcement constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of the Bonds in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. The Bonds will only be sold by means of an Official Statement.

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - November 01, 2023 - November 07, 2023 INNER-CITY NEWS July 27, 2016 - August 02, 2016

Maintainer I

NOTICE Entry-level position performing a variety of maintenance, repair and construction tasks.

Must have a valid State of CT driver’s license and a clean driving record, a CDL Class B is preferred. Requires 3 years experience in construction, grounds or building mainteMACRI RENTAL HOUSING PREAPPLICATIONS AVAILABLE nanceVALENTINA or in work involving the operation and care of construction equipment.

Pay rate: $22.48 to $26.66 hourly (wages under negotiation) plus an excellent fringe benefits HOME Applications INC, on behalf of Columbus House andthe theDepartment New HavenofHousing package. may be downloaded from Human Authority, Resources is accepting pre-applications for studio and one-bedroom apartments at thisTown devel-of Web Page and can be mailed or faxed to the Department of Human Resources, opment located at 108 Frank Street, New Haven. limitations apWallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CTMaximum 06492, orincome emailed to: wlfdhr@ ply. Pre-applications be available 9AM TO 5PM beginning Monday Ju;y wallingfordct.gov. by thewill closing date of from November 6, 2023.

Phone: (203)294-2080; Fax: EOE 25,(203) 2016294-2084. and ending when sufficient pre-applications (approximately 100) have

been received at the offices of HOME INC. Applications will be mailied upon request by calling HOME INC at 203-562-4663 during those hours. Completed preapplications must be returned to HOME INC’s offices at 171 Orange Street, Third Floor, New Haven, CT 06510.

MAINTAINER II

The Town of Wallingford is seeking applicants for Maintainer II. The position requires 2 years’ experience as a laborer in construction work involving the operation and care of trucks and other mechanical equipment, or 2 years training in one of the skilled trades and 1 year of experience in construction operations, or an equivalent combination of experience and training.

A valid (CDL) Class B is required andDISPONIBLES a copy included VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES with your application. Wages: $23.73 - $27.82 hourly (wages currently under negotiation) plus INC, an excellent fringe t package pension plan,Authority, paid sickestá and HOME en nombre de la benefi Columbus House that y de includes la New Haven Housing vacation time, 13 paid holidays. medical, dental and life insurance.

A complete job aceptando pre-solicitudes para estudios y apartamentos de un dormitorio en este desarrollo announcement downloaded thelimitaciones Departmentdeofingresos Human ubicado en laand calleapplication 109 Frank may Street,beNew Haven. Sefrom aplican Resources and can be mailed to the Department of Human Resources, Town máximos.Web Las Page pre-solicitudes estarán disponibles 09 a.m.-5 p.m. comenzando Martes 25 of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492, or emailed to: wlfdhr@ julio, 2016 hasta cuando se han recibido suficientes pre-solicitudes (aproximadamente 100) wallingfordct.gov by the closing date of November 6, 2023. Phone: (203) 294-2080; en las oficinas de HOME INC. Las pre-solicitudes serán enviadas por correo a petición Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE

NOTICIA

llamando a HOME INC al 203-562-4663 durante esas horas.Pre-solicitudes deberán remitirse a las oficinas de HOME INC en 171 Orange Street, tercer piso, New Haven , CT 06510 .

THE GLENDOWER GROUP, INC. Request for Qualifications

Master Planner- Choice Neighborhood Transformation Plan for The Union Square Neighborhood

NEW HAVEN

The Glendower Group, Inc. is currently seeking proposals for a Master Planner- Choice 242-258 Fairmont Ave Neighborhood Transformation Plan for The Union Square Neighborhood. A complete copy of the 2BR requirement may be obtained Townhouse, 1.5from BA,Glendower’s 3BR, 1 Vendor level Collaboration , 1BA Portal https://newhavenhousing.cobblestonesystems.com/gateway All new apartments, new appliances, new carpet, close to I-91 & I-95

highways, near bus stop & shopping center beginning on Monday, October 23, 2023, Pet under 40lb allowed.

Interested parties contact Mariaat@3:00PM. 860-985-8258

NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR BID HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF DANBURY

CT. Unified Deacon’s Association is pleased to offer a Deacon’s Certificate Program. This is a 10 month program designed to assist in the intellectual formation of Candidates in response to the Church’s Ministry needs. The cost is $125. Classes start Saturday, August 20, 2016 1:303:30Commercial Contact: Chairman, DeaconPreventative Joe J. Davis, M.S., B.S. Boiler Maintenance and Repair Services (203) 996-4517 Host, General Bishop Elijah Davis, D.D. Pastor of Pitts Chapel U.F.W.B. Church 64 Brewster St. New Haven, CT

IFB No. B23005

Please register here to obtain Bid Package: https://ha.internationaleprocurement.com/requests.html?company_id=49968

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY

PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL RETURN: Sealed bids are invited by the Housing Authority of the Town of Seymour Housing Authority of the City of Danbury, 2 Mill Ridge Rd, Danbury, CT 06811 untilEnvelope 3:00 pmMust on Tuesday, August 2, 2016 at its office 28 Smith Street, be Marked: IFB No. B23005, Commercial at Boiler Services Seymour, CT 06483Attn: for Concrete Sidewalk Repairs and Replacement at the Lisa Gilchrist, Purchasing Agent Smithfield Gardens Assisted Living Facility, 26 Smith Street Seymour.

SUBMITTAL DEADLINE

November 8th, 2023 10:30am Authority (EST) A pre-bid conference will be held at theatHousing Office 28 Smith

Street Seymour, CT at 10:00 am, on Wednesday, July 20, 2016.

CONTACT PERSON FOR IFB DOCUMENT: Lisa Gilchrist – Purchasing Agent

Bidding documents areTelephone: available203-744-2500 from the Seymour x1421 Housing Authority OfE-Mail: lgilchrist@hacdct.org fice, 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 (203) 888-4579.

[Minority- and/or women-owned businesses are encouraged to respond]

The Housing Authority reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids, to reduce the scope of the project to reflect available funding, and to waive any

Town of Bloomfield

Salary Range:

$87,727 to $136,071 Deputy Finance Director/Controller Pre-employment drug testing.

AA/EOE. For Details go to www.bloomfieldct.org

HAMDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS The Hamden Public School System (HPS) located in Hamden, Connecticut seeks Connecticut certified teachers who have a passion for working in diverse and dynamic school settings. The ideal candidate has experience working in culturally, socioeconomically, and racially diverse learning environments.

HPS has approximately 5,600 students attending 8 elementary schools, 1 middle School, 1 high school, and 1 secondary alternative program (HCLC). Our demographics are as follows: 32% Black/African-American students; 25% White students; 28% Hispanic (Latinx) students; 7% Asian students; 7% Two or more races; and less than 1% Native American and Pacific Islander students.

We are seeking candidates for multiple positions, including but not limited to:

Town of Bloomfield

• Special Education (pre-K thru 12) • World Language • Social Work • Head Girls Gymnastics Coach • Head Boys Lacrosse Coach • Custodial • School Nurse

Finance Director

Salary Range - $101,455 to $156,599 (expected starting pay maximum is mid-range) Fully Benefited – 35 hours weekly Pre-employment drug testing. For more details, visit our website – www.bloomfieldct.org

Portland Police Officer full-time Go to www.portlandct.org for details

QSR STEEL CORPORATION

While we are seeking candidates for these positions specifically, we encourage holders of certificates in other areas to apply as well. It is also important to note here that the Hamden Board of Education is committed to creating and maintaining a diverse teaching staff.

Interested candidates can access Hamden.org, click on the Personnel tab, and then click on Online Applications. Anyone seeking additional information can contact Hamden Public Schools Assistant Superintendents, Erin Bailey (Elementary) at ebailey@ hamden.org or Linda Tran (Secondary) at ltran@hamden.org. For coaching positions, please contact Director of Athletics, Tom Dyer at tdyer@hamden.org.

Invitation to Bid: It is the policy of Hamden Public Schools that no person shall be excluded from, de2nd Notice

nied the benefits of, or otherwise discriminated against under any program including

Old Saybrook, CT APPLY NOW! (4 Buildings, 17 Units)

employment, because of race, color, religious creed, sex, age national origin, ancestry, SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE marital status, sexual orientation, past or present history of mental disorder, learning disability or physical disability.

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Transportation Planner – Project Manager

New Construction, Wood Framed, Housing, Selective Demolition, Site-work, CastSouth Vinyl Central Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG) is seeking to fill the in-place Concrete, AsphaltThe Shingles, Siding, Transportation Planner – Project Manager position. Visit www.scrcog.org for the full Flooring, Painting, Division 10 Specialties, Appliances, Residential Casework, position description, qualifications, and application requirements. Applications are to State of Connecticut Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fireby Protection. be submitted noon on Monday, September 11, 2023, or until the position is filled.

Office of Policy Questions may be emailed to jobs@scrcog.org. SCRCOG is an Affirmative Action/ This contract subject to state set-aside and contract compliance requirements. andisManagement Equal Opportunity Employer.

The State of Connecticut, Bid Extended, Due Date: August 5, 2016 Office of Policy and Management Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016 is recruiting for an Information Technology Technician hour).

Project(40documents available via ftp link below:

Request for Qualifications

Further information regarding http://ftp.cbtghosting.com/loginok.html?username=sayebrookevillage The South Central Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG) the duties, eligibility seeks the services of one or more consultants for transportation planrequirements and application Faxinstructions or Email Questions & Bids to:at: Dawn Lang @ 203-881-8372 dawnlang@haynesconstruction.com are available ning studies during the 2024 and 2025 Fiscal Years (July 1, 2023- June HCC encourages the participation of all Veteran, S/W/MBE & Section 3 Certified Businesses https://www.jobapscloud.com/ 30, 2025).

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise firms are strongly enHaynes Construction Company, 32 Progress Ave, Seymour, CT 06483 CT/sup/bulpreview.asp?b=&R1= couraged to respond as prime contractor or to play a significant role 230927&R2=7602FR&R3=001 AA/EEO EMPLOYER within a consultant team.

Responses are due by November 22, 2023, The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and (12 noon local time).

The full RFQ document can be viewed at the strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

Council’s website: www.scrcog.org or can be made available upon request. Contact James Rode at 203-466-8623 with any questions.

18

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - November 2023 - November 07, 2023 INNER-CITY NEWS July 27,01, 2016 - August 02, 2016

Construction

Garrity Asphalt Reclaiming, Inc seeks:

Construction Equipment Mechanic preferably experienced in Seeking to employ experienced individuals in the labor, Reclaiming and Road Milling Equipment. We offer factory foreman, operator and teamster trades for a heavy outside training on equipment we operate. Location: Bloomfield work statewide. Reliable personal transportation and a valCT We offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits id drivers license required. To apply please call (860) 621Contact: Tom Dunay VALENTINA MACRI RENTAL HOUSING PRE- APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE 1720 or send resume to: Personnel Department, P.O. Box 368, Cheshire, CT06410.

Phone: 860- 243-2300 HOME INC, on behalf of Columbus House and the New Haven Housing Authority, Email: tom.dunay@garrityasphalt.com is accepting pre-applications for studio and one-bedroom this develAffiatrmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/V Women & Minority Applicants are encouraged to applyapartments Drug Free Workforce opment located at 108 Frank Street, New Haven.

Maximum income limitations apAffirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer ply. Pre-applications will be available from 9AM TO 5PM beginning Monday Ju;y 25, 2016 and ending when sufficient pre-applications (approximately 100) have Garrity Asphalt Reclaiming, Inc seeks:will be mailied upon rebeen received at the offices of HOME INC. Applications Reclaimer and Milling with current quest byOperators calling HOME INC atOperators 203-562-4663 duringlicensing those hours. Completed preand clean driving record, be willing to travel throughout the NorthLargeStreet, CT Fence applications must be returned to HOME INC’s offices at 171 Orange Third Company looking for an individual for our east & NY. We offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefits PVC Fence Production Shop. Experience preferred but will Floor, New Haven, CT 06510. train the right person. Must be familiar with carpentry hand Contact: Rick Tousignant Phone: 860- 243-2300 & power tools and be able to read a CAD drawing and tape Email: rick.tousignant@garrityasphalt.com measure. Use of CNC Router machine a plus but not required, will train the right person. This is an in-shop production poWomen & Minority Applicants are encouraged to apply Duties include building fence panels, posts, gates and AffirmativeMACRI Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer VALENTINA VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDESsition.

DISPONIBLES more. Must have a valid CT driver’s license & be able to obtain a Drivers Medical HOME INC, en nombre de la Columbus House y de la New Haven Housing Authority, está Card. Must be able to pass a physical and drug test. Please email resume to pboucher@atlasoutdoor.com.

Tractor Trailer Driver for Heavy & Highway Construction Equipaceptando pre-solicitudes para estudios y apartamentos de un dormitorio en este desarrollo ment. Must have a CDL License, clean driving record, capable of AA/EOE-MF ubicado en la calle 109 Frank Street, New Haven. Se aplican limitaciones de ingresos operating heavy equipment; be willing to travel throughout the máximos.

Las We pre-solicitudes estarán disponibles 09 a.m.-5 p.m.tscomenzando Martes 25 Northeast & NY. offer excellent hourly rate & excellent benefi Full Time julio, 2016 hasta cuando se han recibido suficientes pre-solicitudes (aproximadamente 100)Administrative assistant position en las oficinas de HOME INC. Las pre-solicitudes serán enviadas por correo a petición for a steel & misc metals fabrication shop who will oversee the llamandoEmail: a HOMEdana.briere@garrityasphalt.com INC al 203-562-4663 durante esas horas.Pre-solicitudes deberán remitirseof clerical duties such as answering phones, acdaily operations Women & Minority encouraged to apply a las oficinas de HOMEApplicants INC en 171are Orange Street, tercer piso, New Haven , CT 06510 .purchase orders/invoicing and certified payroll. counts payable Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer Email resumes to jillherbert@gwfabrication.com

NOTICE

PVC FENCE PRODUCTION

NOTICIA

Union Company seeks:

Contact Dana at 860-243-2300

LEGAL NOTICE

NEW HAVEN

Request for Proposals (RFP) for Services

242-258 Fairmont Ave 2BR Townhouse, 1.5 BA, 3BR, 1 level , 1BA

The State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management, is seeking proposals to provide certain services related to developing a plan to transfer responsibility for registration and oversight of homemaker-companion agencies fromAll thenew Department of Consumer Protectionnew to thecarpet, Department apartments, new appliances, close of toPublic I-91 &Health.

I-95

near bus stop & shopping center The intent of the highways, request is to identify individuals or firms with the necessary expertise to provide consultant servicesparties to develop a plan within a stated Pet under 40lb allowed.

Interested contactsuch Maria @ 860-985-8258 timeframe.

The RFP is available online at: https://portal.ct.gov/DAS/CTSource/BidBoard CT. Unified Deacon’s Association is pleased to offer a Deacon’s and https://portal.ct.gov/OPM/Root/RFP/Request-For-Proposals or from Certificate Program. This is a 10 month program designed to assist in the intellectual formation of Candidates Anita Freeman, Office of Policy and Management, Health and Human Services in response to the Church’s Ministry needs. The cost is $125. Classes start Saturday, August 20, 2016 1:30Policy andChairman, Planning Division, 450M.S., Capitol Ave., MS#52LTC, Hartford, Con3:30 Contact: Deacon Joe J. Davis, B.S. (203) 996-4517 Host, General Bishop Elijah OPM.HomemakerCompanionRFP@ct.gov.

Davis, D.D. Pastor of Pitts Chapel U.F.W.B. Church 64 Brewster necticut 06106-1379.

E-mail: Telephone 418-6263, Deadline for response submission is 4:00 P.M., St. New Haven, (860) CT November 30, 2023.

SEYMOURDISPATCHER HOUSING AUTHORITY

Sealed bids are invited by the Housing Authority of the Town of Seymour Theuntil Town of Wallingford is seeking responsible candidates to perform police, fire 3:00 pm on Tuesday, August 2, 2016 at its office at 28 911, Smith Street, and EMS emergency dispatching duties. Must be able to work under stressful conditions Seymour, CT 06483 for Concrete Sidewalk Repairs and Replacement at the and be able to type information with a high rate of speed and accuracy. Must be able to Smithfield Gardens Assisted Livingand Facility, 26 and Smith work all three shifts including weekends holidays be Street able to Seymour. work additional

shifts beyond the regular shift schedule. Requires a H.S. or business school diploma with courses in typing and 2 years of responsible office work experience. Wages: $ 23.72 ~ A pre-bid conference will be held at the Housing Authority Office 28 Smith $28.28 hourly plus shift differential and excellent fringe benefits. Closing date is October Seymour, CTreceipt at 10:00 Wednesday, July 20, 2016.

16,Street 2023, or the date of of theam, 50thonapplication, whichever occurs first. Apply: Department of Human Resources, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main St., Wallingford, CT 06492.

Forms will be mailed upon request fromthe theSeymour Department of Human Resources Bidding documents are available from Housing Authority Of-or may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page and emailed to fice, 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 Fax: (203)203-294-2084.

888-4579. EOE. wlfdhr@wallingfordct.gov.

Phone: 203-294-2080,

The Housing Authority reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids, to reduce the scope of the project to reflect available funding, and to waive any

WATER TREATMENT The Town of Wallingford Water Division is seeking qualified candidates for Water Treatment Pumping Operator I to operate and maintain the Town’s potable (drinking) water treatment plant and pumping, storage tank, pressure regulating and groundwater well facilities. Must possess a H.S. diploma or equivalent with 1 year of experience involving the operation and maintenance of equipment used in water supply and treatment; or a technical high school diploma with demonstrated career and technical education related to electronics technology, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, or water supply and treatment activities and operation; or completion of a program in water management. Applicants must possess State of Connecticut Department of Public Health Class I (WTP I) or higher Water Treatment Plant Operator certification, and completion of a program in water management or have the ability to obtain both within twelve (12) months from the date of hire. Must possess and maintain a State of Connecticut driver’s license. Wages: $28.03 - $34.05 hourly, plus an excellent fringe benefits package that includes pension plan, paid sick and vacation time, medical insurance, life insurance, 13 paid holidays, and a deferred compensation plan. A complete job announcement and application may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page and can be mailed to the Department of Human Resources, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492, or emailed to: wlfdhr@wallingfordct.gov.

Phone # 203-294-2080, Fax # 203-294-2084. The closing date will be the date the 50th application/resume is received, or October 24, 2023 whichever occurs first. EOE

Construction

Seeking to employ experienced individuals in the labor, foreman, operator and teamster trades for a heavy outside work statewide. Reliable personal transportation and a valid drivers license required. To apply please call (860) 621-1720 or send resume to: Personnel Department, P.O. Box 368, Cheshire, CT06410.

Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/V

Drug Free Workforce

Human Resources Technician

State of Connecticut Office of Policy The Town of Wallingford is seeking a highly motivated individual to perform a variety and Management Invitationoftoadministrative Bid: and confidential human resources support activities. Applicants must 2nd Notice have 6 years of office experience that includes 1 year in a HR department. College The State of Connecticut, Office of level training in business or public administration, human resources, or related field Policy and Management is recruiting may be substitute for experience on a one for one basis up to 2 years of office experifor an OPM Assistant Division CT to $34.86 hourly plus an excellent fringe benefits package. A complete job ence. $28.75 Director in the Office of Finance.Old Saybrook, announcement and application may be downloaded from the Department of Human Further information regarding (4 Buildings, 17 Units) Resources Web Page and can be mailed to the Department of Human Resources, Town the duties,Tax eligibility Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492, faxed, or emailed to: requirements and application instructions are available at: wlfdhr@wallingfordct.gov by the closing date of November 13, 2023. Phone: (203) 294-2080; (203) 294-2084.

EOE New Construction, Wood Framed, Housing, SelectiveFax: Demolition, Site-work, Casthttps://www.jobapscloud.com/

SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE

CT/sup/bulpreview.asp?b=&R1= in-place Concrete, Asphalt Shingles, Vinyl Siding, 230908&R2=0104MP&R3=001

Flooring, Painting, Division 10 Specialties, Appliances, Residential Casework, The Town of East Haven is currently accepting applications from qualified Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection. candidates for the position of Mechanic. The starting salary is $55,393 per year and offers an excellent benefit package. Only candidates with at least 6 years of This contract is subject to state set-asidethe andtown contract compliance requirements.

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

experience in motor-mechanic work, a High School Diploma or GED supplemented by trade school training and a CDL, class 2 will be considered. Applications are available Bid Extended, Due Date: 5, 2016 onlineAugust at http://www.townofeasthavenct.org/civiltest.shtml or the Civil Service Office, Anticipated Start: 250 August 15, 2016 Main Street, East Haven CT. The deadline for submission is November 22, 2023.

QSR STEEL Project documents available via ftp link below: The Town of East Haven is committed to building a workforce of diverse individuals.

CORPORATION http://ftp.cbtghosting.com/loginok.html?username=sayebrookevillage

APPLY NOW!

Minorities, Females, Handicapped and Veterans are encouraged to apply.

Transportation Planner – Project Manager

Fax or Email Questions & Bids to: Dawn Lang @ 203-881-8372 dawnlang@haynesconstruction.com HCC encourages the participation of all Veteran, S/W/MBE & Section 3 Certified Businesses Haynes Construction Company, 32 Progress Ave, Seymour, CT 06483 Steel Fabricators, Erectors & Welders AA/EEO EMPLOYER The South Central Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG) is seeking to fill the Top pay for top performers. Health Transportation Planner – Project Manager position. Visit www.scrcog.org for the full posiBenefits, 401K, Vacation Pay. tion description, qualifications, and application requirements. Applications are to be submitted by noon on Monday, September 11, 2023, or until the position is filled. Questions Email Resume: Rose@qsrsteel.com Hartford, CT may be emailed to jobs@scrcog.org. SCRCOG is an Affirmative Action/Equal OpportuAFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER nity Employer.

19

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - November 2023 - November 07, 2023 INNER-CITY NEWS July 27, 01, 2016 - August 02, 2016

Continuum of Care, New Haven, Connecticut – LEGAL NOTICE INVITATION TO BID

NOTICE

LEGAL NOTICE INVITATION TO BID: CONTINUUM OF CARE, NEW HAVEN is requesting licensed and insured contractors to provide bids for their property located at 310 Winthrop Avenue, New Haven. The owner is seeking VALENTINA RENTAL HOUSING PRE-Scope APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE proposals for theMACRI Hardwood Floor Refinishing of 310 Winthrop, a threefamily property. Finish plan will be provided at open bid visit which details the INC, of Columbus House andasthe Newstairwell, Haven Housing Authority, refiHOME nishing of on keybehalf locations of property such main 1st fl offi ce, and is accepting pre-applications for studio and one-bedroom apartments at this develsecond floor unit.

Owner to select stain color.

The project is CDBG funded by opment located at 108 Frank Street, New Haven.

Maximum income limitations apthe City of New Haven. Project is tax-exempt and Davis/Bacon/Prevailing Wage ply. Pre-applications will be available from 9AM TO 5PM beginning Monday Ju;y rate. The selected company and any subcontractors must comply with EEOC 25, 2016 and ending when sufficient pre-applications (approximately 100) have workforce requirements. City of New Haven Chapter 12 ¼ of the New Haven been received at the offices of HOME INC. Applications will be mailied upon recode of Ordinances (MBE subcontracting ) applies- Minority/women’s business quest by calling HOME INC at 203-562-4663 during those hours. Completed preenterprises are encouraged to apply. A bidding site meeting will be held at 310 applications must be returned to HOME INC’s offices at 171 Orange Street, Third Winthrop avenue, New Haven on Thursday, 9/7/2023 at 12:30pm. All bids are Floor, New Haven, CT 06510. due by 9/15/2023 by 3pm. All bids and questions should be submitted in writing to Monica O’Connor via email moconnor@continuumct.org or delivered to 109 Legion Avenue, New Haven.

NOTICIA

VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES

360 MANAGEMENT GROUP, CO.

HOME INC, en nombre de la Columbus House y de la New Haven Housing Authority, está aceptando pre-solicitudes para estudios y apartamentos de un dormitorio en este desarrollo Invitation for Bids ubicado en la calle 109 Frank Street, New Haven. Se aplican limitaciones de ingresos Agency Wide and09Lock Services máximos. Las pre-solicitudes estaránKey disponibles a.m.-5 p.m. comenzando Martes 25 julio, 2016 hasta cuando se han recibido suficientes pre-solicitudes (aproximadamente 100) 360 Group,INC. Co. is seeking bids for agency widea key and en Management las oficinas de HOME Lascurrently pre-solicitudes serán enviadas por correo petición lock services.

A complete copy of the requirement may be obtained from 360 llamando a HOME INC al 203-562-4663 durante esas horas.Pre-solicitudes deberán remitirse Management Vendor Collaboration https://newhavenhousing. a las oficinas deGroup’s HOME INC en 171 Orange Street, Portal tercer piso, New Haven , CT 06510 . cobblestonesystems.com/gateway beginning on

Monday, October 2, 2023 at 3:00PM.

NEW HAVENFOR BID NOTICE OF REQUEST

242-258 OF Fairmont Ave OF DANBURY HOUSING AUTHORITY THE CITY Commercial Boiler Preventative 2BR Townhouse, 1.5 Maintenance BA, 3BR,and 1 Repair level Services , 1BA

No. B23005 All new apartments, new IFB appliances, new carpet, close to I-91 & I-95 highways, near bus stop & shopping center Please register here to obtain Bid Package: https://ha.internationaleprocurement.com/ Pet under 40lb allowed.

Interested parties contact Maria @ 860-985-8258 requests.html?company_id=49968 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL RETURN:

CT. Unified Deacon’s Association is pleased to offer a Deacon’s Certificate Program. This is a 10 month program designed to assist in the intellectual formation of Candidates Housing Authority of the City of Danbury, 2 Mill Ridge Rd, Danbury, CT 06811 in response to the Church’s Ministry needs. The cost is $125. Classes start Saturday, August 20, 2016 1:303:30 Contact: Chairman, Joe J. Davis, Envelope MustDeacon be Marked: IFB M.S., No.B.S. B23005, Commercial Boiler Services (203) 996-4517 Host, General Bishop Elijah Davis, D.D. Pastor of Pitts Chapel U.F.W.B. Church 64 Brewster St. New Haven, CT

Attn: Lisa Gilchrist, Purchasing Agent

SUBMITTAL DEADLINE November 8th, 2023 at 10:30am (EST)

SEYMOUR HOUSING CONTACT PERSON FOR IFB AUTHORITY DOCUMENT:

– Purchasing Agent Sealed bids are invitedLisa byGilchrist the Housing Authority of the Town of Seymour Telephone: 203-744-2500 x1421 until 3:00 pm on Tuesday, August 2, 2016 at its office at 28 Smith Street, E-Mail: lgilchrist@hacdct.org Seymour, CT 06483 for Concrete Sidewalk Repairs and Replacement at the [Minorityand/orAssisted women-owned are Smith encouraged respond] Smithfield Gardens Livingbusinesses Facility, 26 StreettoSeymour.

INVITATION TO BID

A pre-bid conference will be held at the Housing Authority Office 28 Smith Street Seymour, CT at 10:00 am, on Wednesday, July 20, 2016.

Subcontractors are invited to bid on the RE-BID Downtown Evening Kitchen Addition and Renovations. 266 State St New Haven, CT 06510. The project consists of new Stair/Elevator Addition 850sf, and Gut Reno 5,400sf to the 4 Floors.

BIDS DUE October 13, 2023. Send email to ngorneault@pacgroupllc.com for copy of the detailed Invite and Trade Bid Packages. Project partially funded by DECD, DOH, DEM. This project is subject to state set-aside and contract compliance requirements. An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. Minor-

Bidding documents are available from the Seymour Housing Authority Office, 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 (203) 888-4579.

ity/Women's Business Enterprises are encouraged to apply.

The Housing Authority reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids, to reduce the scope of the project to reflect available funding, and to waive any informalities in the bidding, if such actions are in the best interest of the

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING FOR

QSR STEEL CORPORATION

APPLY NOW!

THE ELM CITYCOMMUNITIES, HOUSING AUTHORITY OF NEW HAVEN (ECC/HANH) MOVING TO WORK (MTW) FY2023 ANNUAL REPORT

Steel Fabricators, Erectors & Welders

Top pay for top performers. Health Benefits, 401K, Vacation Pay. Email Resume: Rose@qsrsteel.com Hartford, CT

State of Connecticut Office of Policy and Management

Section II and Section VII of the Authority's Moving to Work Agreement {the "Agreement") requires that before the Agency can file its Approved Annual Moving to Work Plan and Report to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (the "HUD") that it must conduct a public hearing, consider comments from the public on the proposed amendments, obtain approval from the Board of Commissioners, and submit the amendments to HUD. The thirty (30) days comment period begins on Wednesday, November 1, 2023 and copies of the Moving to Work (MTW) FY2023 Report, will be made available on the agency website www.elmcitycommunities.org or via Twitter, www.twitter.com/ECCommunities or via Facebook www.facebook.com/ElmCityCommunities.

The State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management is recruiting for a Principal Labor Relations Specialist.

You are invited to provide written comments addressed to: ECC/HANH, Moving To Work FY2023 Annual Report, Attn: Evelise Ribeiro, 360 Orange Street, New Haven, CT 06511 or via email to: eribeiro@elmcitycommunities.org.

Further information regarding the duties, eligibility requirements and application instructions are available at:

Pursuant to said Sections II and VII), a public hearing where public comments will be accepted and recorded is scheduled for Tuesday, November 28, 2023 at 3:00pm via RingCentral: https://v.ringcentral.com/join/975943490?pw=2e34ff6769797e68e9 6a95bb953d0d81

https://www.jobapscloud.com/ CT/sup/bulpreview.asp?b=&R1= 230417&R2=6342MP&R3=001

Meeting ID: 975943490 Password: yozWY5m3ib

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

Or dial: 267-930-4000 United States Access Code / Meeting ID: 975943490 Dial-in password: 9699956342

WANTED

Any individual requiring a Reasonable Accommodation to participate in the hearing may call the Reasonable Accommodation Manager (203) 498-8800, ext. 1507 or at the TDD Number (203) 497-8434.

to Bid: TRUCK DRIVERInvitation 2 Notice nd

SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE Truck Driver with clean

CDL license(4 Buildings, 17 Units) Old Saybrook, CT

LEGAL NOTICE

Request for Proposals (RFP) for Services

The State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management, is seeking

to Project provide services related to the statutory definition associated with Tax Exempt & Not Prevailingproposals Wage Rate intellectual disability and developmental disabilities and the state’s evaluation of its level of need tool.

Please send resume to Housing, Selective Demolition, Site-work, CastNew Construction, Wood Framed, The intent of the request is to identify individuals or firms with the necessary attielordan@gmail.com in-place Concrete, Asphalt Shingles, Siding, consulting services and the ability to draft a statutorily expertiseVinyl to provide

PJF Construction Corporation mandated report within a stated timeframe.

Flooring, Painting, DivisionAA/EOE 10 Specialties, Appliances, Residential Casework,

The RFP available online at: https://portal.ct.gov/DAS/CTSource/BidBoard Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fireis Protection. and https://portal.ct.gov/OPM/Root/RFP/Request-For-Proposals or from This contract is subject to state set-aside andAlexis contract compliance requirements.

Aronne, Office of Policy and Management, Health and Human Services

Town of Bloomfield

Policy and Planning

Division, 450 Capitol Ave., MS# 55SEC, Hartford, Con-

E-mail: OPM.LONDefinitionStudy@ct.gov. Telephone Bid Extended, Due Date:necticut August 06106-1379.

5, 2016 Assistant Building Official (860) 418-6223. Deadline for response submission is 5:00 P.M., December Anticipated Start: August 15, 2016 13, 2023. $39.80 Project hourly documents available via ftp link below: Pre-employment drug testing. http://ftp.cbtghosting.com/loginok.html?username=sayebrookevillage AA/EOE.

Listing: Mechanic

For Details go to www.bloomfieldct.org Fax or Email Questions & Bids to: Dawn Lang @ 203-881-8372 dawnlang@haynesconstruction.com HCC encourages the participation of all Veteran, S/W/MBE & Section 3 Certified Businesses Haynes Construction Company, 32 Progress Ave, Seymour, CT 06483for a full time mechanic; maintenance to be done Immediate opening AA/EEO EMPLOYER Full Time – All Shifts Top

DRIVER CDL CLASS A Pay-Full Benefits

EOE Please apply in person: 1425 Honeyspot Rd. Ext. Stratford, CT 06615

20

on commercial diesel trucks and trailers. Send resume to: HR Manager, P. O. Box 388, Guilford, CT 06437 or email hrdept@eastriverenergy.com

********An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer**********

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - November 2023 - November 07, 2023 INNER-CITY NEWS July 27,01, 2016 - August 02, 2016

AVISO DE AUDIÊNCIA PÚBLICA PARA

THE ELM CITYCOMMUNITIES, AUTORIDADE DE VIVIENDA DE NEWHAVEN (ECC/HANH) MUDANZA PARA O TRABALJO (MTW) RELATÓRIO ANUAL DE 2023

NOTICE

La Sección II y la Sección VII del Acuerdo de Mudarse al Trabajo de la Autoridad VALENTINArequieren MACRIque RENTAL PRE- APPLICATIONS {el "Acuerdo") antes HOUSING de que la Agencia pueda presentarAVAILABLE su Plan Anual Aprobado de Mudarse al Trabajo e informar al Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo HOME on behalf of "HUD") Columbus and theuna New Haven Housing Urbano deINC, los EE. UU. (el se House debe realizar audiencia pública, Authority, considerar accepting pre-applications and one-bedroom apartments at this devellosiscomentarios del público sobreforlasstudio enmiendas propuestas, obtener la aprobación de la Junta de Comisionados y presentar las enmiendas al HUD. opment located at 108 Frank Street, New Haven.

Maximum income limitations ap-

ply. Pre-applications will be available from 9AM TO 5PM beginning Monday Ju;y El 25, período comentarios de treinta (30) días comienza el (approximately Miércoles, 1 de 100) Noviembre 2016deand ending when sufficient pre-applications have delbeen 2023received y las copias deloffices Informe to Work (MTW) para fiscalupon 2023reesat the of Moving HOME INC. Applications will el beaño mailied tarán disponibles en el sitio web de la agencia www.elmcitycommunities.org o a través quest by calling HOME INC at 203-562-4663 during those hours. Completed prede applications Twitter, www.twitter. com/ECCommunities o a offices través de Facebook www.facebook. must be returned to HOME INC’s at 171 Orange Street, Third com/ElmCityCommunities.

Floor, New Haven, CT 06510.

Le invitamos a enviar comentarios por escrito dirigidos a: ECC/HANH, Moving To Work FY2023 Annual Report, a la atención de: Evelise Ribeiro, 360 Orange Street, New Haven, CT 06511 o por correo electrónico a: eribeiro@elmcitycommunities.org.

NOTICIA

VALENTINA MACRI VIVIENDAS DE ALQUILER PRE-SOLICITUDES DISPONIBLES De conformidad con dichas Secciones II y VII, una audiencia pública donde se aceptarán

y registrarán comentarios públicos está programada para el Martes 28 de Noviembre del HOME nombre de ladeColumbus Househttps://v.ringcentral.com/join/975943490? y de la New Haven Housing Authority, está 2023 a lasINC, 3:00en p.m. a través RingCentral: aceptando pre-solicitudes para estudios y apartamentos de un dormitorio en este desarrollo pw=2e34ff6769797e68e96a95bb953d0d81

ubicado en la calle 109 Frank Street, New Haven. Se aplican limitaciones de ingresos máximos. Las pre-solicitudes ID estarán disponibles 09 a.m.-5 p.m. comenzando Martes 25 de reunión: 975943490 julio, 2016 hasta cuando se hanContraseña: recibido suficientes pre-solicitudes (aproximadamente 100) yozWY5m3ib en las oficinas de HOME INC. Las pre-solicitudes serán enviadas por correo a petición O durante marcar: llamando a HOME INC al 203-562-4663 esas horas.Pre-solicitudes deberán remitirse Unidos a las oficinas de HOME 267-930-4000 INC en 171 OrangeEstados Street, tercer piso, New Haven , CT 06510 .

Clave de Acceso / ID de Reunión: 975943490 Contraseña de acceso telefónico: 9699956342

Cualquier persona que requiera una Adaptación Razonable para participar en la audiencia puede llamar al Gerente de Adaptación Razonable (203) 498-8800, ext. 1507 o al Número TDD (203) 497-8434.

NEW HAVEN

MAINTAINER II

242-258 Fairmont Ave 2BR Townhouse, 1.5 BA, 3BR, 1 level , 1BA All new apartments, new appliances, new carpet, close to I-91 & I-95

The Town of Wallingford is seeking applicants for Maintainer II. The position requires highways, near bus stop & shopping center 2 years’ experience as a laborer in construction work involving the operation and care of trucksPet andunder other40lb mechanical or 2 years training in one of the skilled trades allowed.equipment, Interested parties contact Maria @ 860-985-8258 and 1 year of experience in construction operations, or an equivalent combination of experience and training. A valid (CDL) Class B is required and a copy included with your CT. Unified Deacon’s pleasedhourly to offer a Deacon’s application.

Wages:Association $23.73 - is$27.82 plus an excellent fringe benefit package that Certificate Program. This is a 10 month program designed to assist in the intellectual formation of Candidates includes pension plan, paid sick and vacation time, 13 paid holidays. medical, dental in response to the Church’s Ministry needs. The cost is $125.

Classes start Saturday, August 20, 2016 1:30Contact: Chairman, Deacon Joejob J. Davis, M.S., B.S. and3:30 life insurance.

A complete announcement and application may be downloaded (203) 996-4517 Host, General Bishop Elijah Davis, D.D. Pastor of Pitts Chapel U.F.W.B. Church 64 Brewster from the Department of Human Resources Web Page and can be mailed to the DepartSt. New Haven, CTResources, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, ment of Human CT 06492, or emailed to: wlfdhr@wallingfordct.gov by the closing date of September 25, 2023. Phone: (203) 294-2080; Fax: (203) 294-2084. EOE

SEYMOUR HOUSING AUTHORITY Laboratory Technician

Sealed bids are invited by the Housing Authority of the Town of Seymour until 3:00 pm on Tuesday, August 2, 2016 at its office at 28 Smith Street, Responsible for the sampling and laboratory analysis of domestic and industrial water Seymour, CT 06483 for Concrete Sidewalk Repairs and Replacement at the and wastewater. Requires an A.S. degree in biology, chemistry or related field and 2 Smithfield Gardens Assisted Living Facility, and 26 Smith Seymour. years experience in laboratory analysis.

Experience trainingStreet may be substituted on

a year for year basis. Must have a valid State of CT driver’s license. $28.82 to $34.64 hourly plus an excellent fringe Apply: Human Resources A pre-bid conference will bebenefi heldt atpackage. the Housing Authority Office 28 DepartSmith ment, Town of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492, Forms will Street Seymour, CT at 10:00 am, on Wednesday, July 20, 2016. be mailed upon request from the Department of Human Resources or may be downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page and emailed to wlfdhr@ wallingfordct.gov.

Phone# 294-2080, (203) 294-2084 closing Ofdate Bidding documents are(203) available fromFax the#:Seymour HousingThe Authority will be that date the 50th application form/resume is received, or November 14, 2023, fice, 28 Smith Street, Seymour, CT 06483 (203) 888-4579. whichever occurs first. EOE

The Housing Authority reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids, to reduce the scope of the project to reflect available funding, and to waive any

Town of Bloomfield Patrol Police Officer

$37.93 hourly ($78,885 annually) – full time, benefited Pre-employment drug testing.

For more details, visit our website – www.bloomfieldct.org Deadline: Applications will be accepted until position is filled

Town of Bloomfield

Finance Director

Salary Range - $101,455 to $156,599 (expected starting pay maximum is mid-range) Fully Benefited – 35 hours weekly Pre-employment drug testing. For more details, visit our website – www.bloomfieldct.org

Portland

Village at Park River Phase 6 formerly Westbrook Village 6 144 Mark Twain Dr Hartford, CT

Project Description: New Construction of 2 wood framed four-story multifamily housing buildings Bldg A=32 units, Bldg B=44 units, approx. total gsf=103,255

Project Documents include but not limited to:

Earthwork/Site-work, fencing, landscaping, paving, concrete, cast underlayment (gypcrete), masonry, rough carpentry labor and materials, finish carpentry, final cleaning, insulation, roofing, siding, doors & hardware labor & material, aluminum framed entrances & storefronts, plastic windows, gypsum board (drywall), flooring, painting, signage, toilet, bath & laundry accessories, wardrobe & closet specialties, postal specialties, manufactured fireplace, wire mesh storage lockers, residential appliances, residential casework & countertops, window treatments, elevator, waste compactors and trash chutes, fire suppression, plumbing, HVAC, electrical, and sanitary facilities.

Project is Taxable. Residential Wage Rate Project This project is subject to state set-aside and contract compliance requirements, as well as, City of Hartford set-aside and contract requirements.

Bid Due Date: 11/10/23 @ 1:00pm

Police Officer full-time

Email Questions & Bids to: Taylor Els Tels@haynesct.com

Go to www.portlandct.org for details

QSR STEEL CORPORATION

Invitation to Bid:

If interested in bidding and have not received an ITB please email tels@haynesct.com with your business name, address, your 1st and last name, email address, phone # and trade(s) you would like to bid. You will be added to Procore and an ITB will be sent for easy access to plans and specifications.

Invitation to Bid: HCC encourages the participation of all Veteran, S/W/MBE & Section 3 Certified Businesses 2nd Notice Haynes Construction Company, 32 Progress Ave, Seymour, CT 06483 AA/EEO EMPLOYER

SAYEBROOKE VILLAGE

Old Saybrook, CT APPLY NOW! (4 Buildings,Accountant 17 Units) I:

$71,503/year. The Town of East Haven is currently accept-

Steel Fabricators, Erectors & Welders ing applications from qualified candidates to participate in the Civil Service ExTax Exempt & Not Prevailing Wage Rate Project Top pay for top performers. Health amination for Accountant. A Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting plus 2 years of Benefits, 401K, Vacation Pay. experience is required.

New Construction, Wood Framed, Housing, Selective Demolition, Site-work, CastCandidates bilingual in Spanish are encouraged to apply. The town offers an in-place Concrete, Asphaltexcellent Shingles,benefi Vinyl Siding, t package. Applications to participate in the examination are Flooring, Painting, Division 10 Specialties, Appliances, Residential Casework, available at The Civil Service Office, 250 Main Street, East Haven CT or online Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection. at http://www.townofeasthavenct.org/civiltest.shtml.

The deadline for submisState of Connecticut Office of Policy is November 22, 2023.

The Town of East Haven is committed to building a This contract is subject to state set-asidesion and contract compliance requirements.

Email Resume: Rose@qsrsteel.com Hartford, CT AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

and Management

workforce of diverse individuals. Minorities, Females, Handicapped and Veter-

ans are encouraged Bid Extended, Due Date: August 5, 2016 to apply.

The State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management isAnticipated recruiting Start: August 15, 2016 for an OPM Assistant Division Project documents available via ftp link below: Director in the Office of Finance. http://ftp.cbtghosting.com/loginok.html?username=sayebrookevillage Further information regarding

Payroll

Payroll Clerk- Performs responsible office work in the processing of all general governthe duties, eligibility and application ment payrolls and maintain all payroll records. The position requires a H.S. diploma Faxrequirements or Email Questions & Bids to: Dawn Lang @ 203-881-8372 dawnlang@haynesconstruction.com instructions are available at: of all Veteran,orS/W/MBE G.E.D,&plus 5 years of Businesses experience in responsible office work involving typing, acHCC encourages the participation Section 3 Certified

counting, data entry and payroll processing. $27.22 to $32.68 hourly plus https://www.jobapscloud.com/ Haynes Construction Company, 32 Progress Ave,bookkeeping, Seymour, CT 06483 CT/sup/bulpreview.asp?b=&R1= an excellent fringe benefit package. Apply: Department of Human Resources, Town AA/EEO EMPLOYER 230908&R2=0104MP&R3=001 of Wallingford, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford, CT 06492. Forms will be mailed

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

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upon request from the Department of Human Resources or maybe downloaded from the Department of Human Resources Web Page and emailed to wlfdhr@wallingfordct. gov. The closing date will be the date that the 50th application form/resume is received, or September 11, 2023, whichever occurs first. EOE

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - November 01, 2023 - November 07, 2023

Are you experiencing racelighting? Here’s what it means

By Joseph Williams, Word In Black

You’re in a mostly White space, maybe your workplace, a school classroom or perhaps a social event. A White person with whom you’re interacting will do or say something seemingly innocuous — a joke about your hair, a compliment on how articulate you are, or asking if you really wrote that report the boss loved — that can trigger a stress response.

Some describe it as a block of ice in their stomach; others experience sweaty palms, a racing heartbeat, or a mouth drier than paper.

The feeling prompts an inevitable question: Was that racist? But when confronted, that person is offended, becomes defensive, or dismisses the allegation outright. They might accuse you of being overly sensitive or even racist, transforming your insecurity or anger into selfdoubt.

If this scenario is familiar, then you’ve encountered what Dr. J. Luke Wood, a sociologist and the new president of California State University, Sacramento, calls “racelighting” — an insidious form of racism that can trigger not only psychological but physical issues in its victims.

The term comes from the word “gaslighting,” defined as a form of emotional abuse in which the abuser intentionally manipulates the physical environment or mental state of the abused. The abuser then deflects responsibility, and insists that the changes are products of the abused’s imagination, weakening their perception of reality.

Wood said the racism-based manipulation is intended to cause Black people to

If you’re Black, chances are you’ve experienced it.

Discrimination against the Black community has caused deeply rooted trauma which can create recurring psychological and physical issues for people of color. ( Photo courtesy of Unsplash/Jessica Felicio)

second-guess their own experiences, their judgment, their memories and, ultimately, their humanity.

While it parallels other racist behaviors, like implicit bias or microaggression, Wood said racelighting identifies a specific pattern of behavior that leads the

target to question reality. Putting a name to that behavior, he said, is similar to a doctor making a medical diagnosis: When the condition is identified, the healing can begin.

“What we’ve tried to do with racelighting is to create a set of concepts and terms

that help people to explain the nature and condition of their oppression,” he said.

“It’s important because it allows you to have a better understanding of what’s going on — to examine it almost like an artifact so that you can see what’s taking place: ‘This is what I’m experiencing.’”

As with other aspects of racism, there is evidence that the internal conflicts triggered by racelighting do physical and emotional damage “very similar to how Combat Stress Syndrome impacts those who are in war zones,” Wood said.

“It impacts you cognitively — an inability to process information, retain information, manage attention control,” he said. “Then, constant anxiety and worrying: anger, resentment, emotional and social withdrawal. And then it impacts you physiologically: tension headaches, backaches, elevated heartbeat, upset stomach, extreme fatigue due to elevated cortisol levels within your body that are directly related to racialized stress.”

And it can take different forms, ranging from advancing stereotypes about Black people (“Criminality, being overly emotional,” Wood said) to false allyship (“People say and pretend like they’re doing something to support you or protect you, but really aren’t”) to misrepresenting the past by discounting Black history or pretending systemic racism doesn’t exist.

Exhibit A, Wood said: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ attacks on “woke culture,” including revising school history standards to include positive outcomes from slavery and eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion programs for state employees.

Wood said DeSantis’s December 2021 statement supporting his state’s Stop W.O.K.E. Act is textbook racelighting:

“In Florida we’re taking a stand against state-sanctioned racism that is critical race theory… We will not allow for your tax dollars to be spent teaching kids to hate our country or to hate each other…

We must protect Florida workers against a hostile work environment” that forces them to acknowledge racism.

While it identifies harmful behavior, racelighting also presents an opportunity to begin racial healing, Wood said.

“Being able to name something gives you more power over it. I don’t think we can downplay how important that is,” Wood said. When presenting his findings before Black audiences, “the number one thing I hear someone say afterwards is, ‘I’m so glad you gave me language to explain what I’ve always felt but didn’t know how to describe.’”

“It is humbling, because we recognize that this work is about trying to help people who come from our community who oftentimes are in a (hostile) environment,” he said.

The most effective antidote to racelighting is for Black people to immerse themselves in Black spaces that are welcoming, validating, or supportive — “a club or organization, maybe a historically black fraternity, maybe a cultural club,” Wood said. “You’ve got to be in a place where you can see yourself through distress, disdain, and disregard. Where someone is instead going to extol your brilliance, your dignity.”

Otherwise, he said, “If you continue to sit in this, it may kill you slowly, but it’s going to kill you.”

This story was originally published by Word In Black and produced in partnership with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Black community responds to the death of Richard Roundtree, cultural icon and hero

by Ericka Alston Buck, The Afro Courtesy of The Afro News of film and stage icon Richard Roundtree’s death sent a ripple of grief around the world as fans and loved ones learned the news, triggering a profound sense of loss.

Roundtree’s monumental influence extended far beyond the geographical boundaries of New Rochelle, N.Y., where he was born. With his magnetic presence and groundbreaking roles, he left an incredible mark on Hollywood and people’s hearts worldwide. Across the country, creatives who thrive on art and culture felt the impact of the loss of a legend who had inspired generations of artists.

Best known for his iconic portrayal of the smooth private detective John Shaft, Roundtree created a timeless and universal character. The “Shaft” film series has served as a cultural touchstone since its debut in 1971. The Shaft character broke not only crimes but racial barriers in the industry, becoming a symbol of empower-

ment and a testament to the power of representation.

Rain Pryor, the talented actress, comedian, and daughter of the late Richard Pryor, shared her thoughts on Roundtree’s passing.

“The death of Richard Roundtree is a huge loss in our community,” said Pryor.

“He’s one of the people that helped pave the way in the industry for people of color.

He’s now an ancestor.”

Pryor, with a family deeply intertwined with the world of entertainment, recognized Roundtree’s monumental contributions and the inspiration he provided to artists of all backgrounds. Both her mother and father were personal friends of the legend.

Local actor and Grammy-nominated entertainer Richard Burton, renowned for his role in “The Wire,” expressed his sorrow at Roundtree’s passing. Burton revealed a personal connection to Roundtree’s work.

“His movies were the first movies that my parents took me to see at The Mayfair and Boulevard Theaters. He was one of my first inspirations,” said Burton. “I knew I could

one day be on the big screen because I first saw him do it.”

“I am particularly saddened by the passing of Richard Roundtree,” said Burton.

Roundtree’s influence extended beyond his

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peers, motivating young talents like Burton to dream big and pursue their own acting careers.

Roundtree was known for his support of local arts initiatives and community proj-

ects. His contributions were not limited to his roles but extended to his real-life role as a mentor and friend to the artistic community.

Roundtree’s impact on the international arts community was profound. His universal appeal and his commitment to breaking down racial barriers resonated with artists and enthusiasts alike. His legacy served as a reminder of the importance of representation and diversity in the arts, inspiring many to continue pushing boundaries and forging their own paths.

As family and fans celebrate Roundtree’s life and work, they find solace in the enduring impact of a man who transcended borders.

Richard Roundtree, a true legend, left an indelible mark on Hollywood and the hearts of those who were fortunate enough to experience his artistry. His memory will continue to inspire artists and serve as a testament to the power of representation.

This article originally appeared in The Afro.

THE INNER-CITY NEWS - November 01, 2023 - November 07, 2023

Where innovative heart research becomes personalized heart care.

Our Heart and Vascular Center leads the region in advancing cardiovascular care. With the brightest physicians, more than 150 research scientists and over 200 clinical trials, our groundbreaking treatments are improving lives today and ensuring better outcomes tomorrow.

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THE INNER-CITY NEWS - November 01, 2023 - November 07, 2023

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